The ocean is my thing. Everyone has a “thing.” For some people it’s sports, others it’s reading, but my “thing” is the ocean. I am going to tell you why. There are some obvious reasons, but there are some less obvious as well. I challenge you to think about what your “thing” is, because sometimes it can be hidden by hobbies and interests.
Let’s get the obvious reasons out of the way.
Growing up by the ocean, I have found comfort in the sea breeze, the salty air, and sandy toes. Summers were filled with days of playing in the sand, riding the waves, and soaking up some vitamin D. To this day, I try to spend as much time at the beach as I can to keep the memories of my childhood alive.
The ocean is my thing.
Before I had any responsibilities, my family would meet family friends on the beach. The parents would talk about boring jobs and life, while the kids would fall asleep in the sun. But one of my favorite parts of my day was sitting on the lifeguard boxes that would sit far away from the lifeguard stands. We would sit there and eat Goldfish, and it always put a smile on my face.
The ocean is my thing.
When I am away from it for too long, I lose myself.
The ocean is my thing.
There’s something about watching the waves go by. I could sit and stare at them for hours on end. I think the ocean is a great representation that there’s a great big world out there, much bigger than we see in our everyday lives. I like not being able to see the end of the ocean when I look out over the horizon. Kind of reminds me of life. You never know where it will take you.
The ocean is my thing.
Something that I am very fortunate to have is to be able to easily get to the beach during the fall, winter, and spring; the off-seasons. Most people are too occupied thinking about other things, but I’m thinking about the beach, and how I can squeeze the most out of the season. It’s not uncommon to see me there when it’s way too cold, wrapped in blankets, wearing gloves and boots.
The ocean is my thing.
People who live by lakes don’t understand what it’s like to live by the ocean. It’s a totally different experience. It is difficult to describe, but there is a sense of freedom, a sense of comfort, and a sense of joy in the smoothie that we call the ocean (well, that and a few fish).
The ocean is my thing.
When I am away from it for too long, I lose myself. I stress this because we all lose ourselves multiple times during our lives; during love, during loss, and especially during change. Being away at school, I couldn’t come to the ocean as often, so I lost myself. But with each step I take onto the sand, I know that I am slowly finding myself again.
I think I’ve been saying this wrong the whole time.
The ocean is not my thing, the ocean is my happiness.
