29 – Sea *

Special thanks to Otto Munchow for providing the photographs. Otto, a photojournalist from Norway, travels the world to capture moments. I encourage readers to visit Otto at In Flow with Creativity, plus you can find him on Instagram (ottovonmunchow). Please tell him I sent you and feel free to comment on his images here. All photos are copyrighted by Otto Munchow.

Click the video above for 2 minutes of background waves while reading.

I like walking on the beach. It is good for the body, mind, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

As I walk, a vast mass of water is 180 degrees to my side – a mass of water with its currents moving it ashore and beyond. The moving water that splashes and refreshes me.

I look out across the seemingly endless surface of water with no land in sight, other than the sand in the visual periphery where I stand. No wonder the ancient people thought edges were at the end. Edges that sunrises and sunsets reinforce.

To think that this gulf is small compared to the seas – and the oh my of the seas being specks compared to the oceans. The amount of water on our planet is unimaginable. Besides, most people don’t realize the bigness of one million – let alone millions, billions, trillions, and beyond.

All that seawater, plus the water of rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, puddles, pools, glaciers, ice, and even underground – let alone in the clouds collecting as sponges before releasing the water as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

All that seawater whose salt represents the salt of tears releasing from our eyes as an emotional response.

All that water in the sea that can be soothing, maddening, heartbreaking, nurturing, and motivational.

Even when the sea is calm, it is not still. Waves and currents are constant. Tides moving to their pattern. It is water’s movement delivering the awe of waterfalls and a sense of serenity from the water of a babbling stream moving over the rocks – or while looking across a seemingly still lake to the other side.

I think of water moving in its cycle. Where has that drop on my knee been? Who has it touched? Did it touch a television or movie star? A world leader? A historic figure? Perhaps da Vinci, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, or Confucius? A farmer, carpenter, librarian, artist, fisherman, musician, or business leader? Or even Lucy the early hominid, Lucille Ball, or Kenny Rogers.

I wonder if the water that soothes my feet ever freely flowed in the smooth stream near my Ohio home. Maybe I’ve seen it before as rain on me.

I think of ancient people during ancient times who were unaware of water’s cyclic ways. Water from the sea is received by the clouds. No wonder they saw the sky as a solid dome separating the waters from above and below. No wonder they saw rain as something that came down from their god above.

Fossils show that long before the existence of ancient people, the sea covered the land – including lands that are currently far from the sea.

Water – so much of it – so many uses – so vital for life – no wonder it is a powerful metaphor. There is much to wonder about water, but now I will settle on allowing my mind to wander as water refreshes my feet.

Water is ungovernable, yet we try our best to manage it. Water seems irrational as it works around our governing attempt. Water is so active that it seems to be boundless chaos

Think about the legends and tales the sea has given us: the mythological sirens, mermaids, sea monsters, and the cultural gods and goddesses – the sea as home to legends, battles, and sunken treasures.

The role of the sea in culture has been important for centuries. People experiencing the sea in contradictory ways: as powerful, but serene; as beautiful, but dangerous; as calm, but vengeful. Humans respond to the sea through literature, art, poetry, film, theatre, and music.

The sea – home to thoughts of courage, romance, loneliness, discovery, adventure, and fantasy.

Depending on the depth, much of the sea is dark because light can only penetrate the water so far – yet the sea is home to some bioluminescent organisms. The sea is also home for many more oxygen-releasing organisms than are found on land. Yes – the seas as the main source for precious oxygen.

The sea surrounds islands, acts as borders, and touches the coasts of many countries. Cities were founded and thrived on the sea as centers for trade, recreation, travel, and today – research.

The sea – a place abundant in life – a life that I don’t typically see – life that I only see a tiny fraction of when I walk.

All that water that makes our planetary home blue – that refreshing blue from space – that pale blue dot in the greater cosmos that is an oasis in the vast desert of space. Yes, this is our home that I walk – the place where I think. Just another reason why I like walking on the beach, which is also good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

See what other bloggers have posted about the sea

• Seascape escapes (photos from a past collaborator here)
• In a vase and under the sea (photos and essay)
• When sea misses land (poem)
• In blue sea whispers (poem by a reader here)
• Celtic Sea (photos and a few words)
• Ghosts of the seven seas (poem)

Next Post: Changes – Tuesday 19 January @ 1 AM (Eastern US)

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