in celebration of National Ocean Month: what the ocean means to me

I used to put on an ocean waves and thunder CD to fall asleep at night. The sound of water has always soothed me and the rhythmic ebb and crash of the waves was comforting in its reliability. Out and in. Exhale and inhale.

The ocean is untamed freedom, a reminder of the mighty power of consistency.

Even though I grew up mostly in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I can’t swim. I know, that sounds absurd, especially from someone who loves the beach and the ocean. When I was placed in swim lessons as I child, I fudged my way through them, never feeling at ease in a swimming pool with chlorine that stung my eyes and dried out my skin. Even still, the ocean feels like home.

It is home, too, to so many species. There’s an estimated one million species of living creatures in the ocean. (Which kind of give you pause when you wade into it. Now what, exactly, was it that just brushed my foot?) The phytoplankton that live in the ocean produce nearly half of our oxygen and the oceans themselves help regulate the Earth’s climate. You don’t have to be an environmentalist to know that we’re slowly killing the vast array of species that live in the ocean, through pollution and overconsumption, and threatening our way of life as well. We need strong climate action now, to honor the ocean and preserve our planet.

The ocean represents freedom and possibility to me, one big exhale. Looking out over its vastness reminds me of how small I am, and how my small decisions add up to make a big impact. I am reminded that there is so much that exists beyond my understanding and comprehension that marches on every day. I am reminded that as much as we try to create and enforce borders, we’re all on this planet together and everything is connected.

The ocean is the stitch in the quilt of life that keeps us whole and healthy.

“Take me to the ocean. Let me sail the open sea. To breathe the warm and salty air and dream of things to be.” – Erica Billups

in joy,