Travel With A Stranger: Ode To The Ocean.

Photo by Tim Mendez

Dear Strangers of Internet,

I always have loved the sea. I’ve been fascinated by water ever since I was a kid. Growing up in the South of France and knowing that the sea wasn’t that far away from where I lived was kind of comforting. So, you can easily imagine how thrilled I was when the adventurous side of my weird self decided to move on a tiny island situated in the middle of the Ocean. A haven surrounded by nothing but water.

But after these positive feelings went away, I remembered one tiny significant detail about my undying love for the ocean. I was so deep in my own bubble that I’d forgotten what it felt like to be terrified of water. A few months after I moved there, life happened and I felt like I was drowing… The thing is, experiencing a big change like this in your life isn’t always easy. I wished more people would realised that living on an island isn’t all sunshine, beaches and cocktails all day. It takes time to adpat. So, when I felt too overwhelmed with bad feelings, I felt the need to go and watch the ocean for hours…

“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.” – Wyland

There’s something so calming about the ocean. I was still terrified of the endless view of blue water but somehow, it became one of the place where I felt the most safe. A new shelter. I don’t know when it happened. I don’t know how. But when I looked into the water and thought about all the things I didn’t know how to handle or deal with anymore, it felt harder and harder to breathe and all of the reasons I had to keep myself from giving up were slowly evaporating. I remember I wanted to change so many things in my life. I wanted to believe in so many things. I was trying my best and still, I felt like it wasn’t enough. Until one day… Waves after waves, what I used to feel became less overwhelming and I started to feel better.

One of the reasons I love the ocean is this one. When I needed it the most, it reminded me how to keep breathing. It inspired me to make the changes I needed to make in order to have a better life and still love who I was becoming. It stirred my heart open with even more love than what I thought I was capable of. It taught me to be grateful for what we have and take care of it.

One thing is sure, I will always feel grateful for the ocean.

This is K, signing off.