The Ocean Owns My Heart

Magnet

“See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me!”–Moana

I feel as if I’m drawn to the ocean with a magnetic force.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a fascination with the ocean and dreamed of someday living on (or at least near) the beach. Growing up in Nebraska (which is completely land-locked and a several days drive to any ocean), I figured it would never be more than just a dream.

But, then a Navy Sailor walked into my library and my life was forever changed!

God had a pretty funny answer to that dream of living by the ocean, didn’t he? I had also been praying for “Mr. Right” to come along. I guess he figured he would kill two birds with one stone and sent me a Sailor who was Mr. Right AND a ticket to ALWAYS live near the ocean!

We’ve lived in 3 duty stations now, and each one had a very different “beachy” feel to them.

Our first duty station was in the Puget Sound on the Pacific Ocean when we lived in the Pacific Northwest. This ocean had a cooler temperature and rockier beaches. The ocean here was more for beauty and less swimming because the weather was typically rainy. I have some fond memories of taking my son when he was a baby to the waterfront and walking along the shore throwing rocks into the water.

Our next duty station took us to Florida and the Atlantic ocean. We lived around Jacksonville. We had nice, warm temperatures most of the year so we were able to enjoy trips to the beach almost year round. This is where my son discovered his love for wave jumping and body surfing even at a young age!

Our most recent duty station has brought us to the island of Oahu in Hawaii. We are literally SURROUNDED by the Pacific Ocean. When I think of sandy beaches and the Ocean, THIS is the ocean I always dreamt of! The water is crystal clear and teal in the distance. The sand is as smooth as flower and the feeling of Aloha grabs ahold of you!

The ocean is my happy place!

I can sit for hours watching the waves crash upon the shore. I oftentimes imagine what stories the sea is trying to tell me of its journeys. Where has it been? What has it seen? Where is it going?

I like to imagine the ocean animals hidden in the teal waters before me and it just calms my soul. It reminds me how small I am and how big this world really is.

If I’m lucky, I will get a glimpse of a whale breaching or a sea turtle popping its head out of the water. Sometimes, even a Hawaiian monk seal will approach the beach which always adds a bit of excitement to the day.

Snorkeling is out of this world! I could get lost in this underwater adventure! I feel as if I was dropped into a fish tank at the aquarium. Only, this is nature-this is REAL! I am experiencing them in their natural habitat! So many bright colors and shapes and sizes. It’s truly fascinating! My favorite discovery was an octopus when we were snorkeling Molokini in Maui. I watched him as he managed to bury almost his entire body in between the cracks of the coral and disguise himself.

From gazing out at the line where the sky meets the sea to diving down to the aquatic adventures within, the ocean has my heart and my soul. I will forever belong to the ocean…it completes me!

What do you feel is YOUR happy place. Where do you go to find this sensation? Is it the mountains? Perhaps the lake? Maybe it’s the corn fields while you are plowing? Your garden?

There are so many places you can find tranquility. Find yours today and embrace it!

With Aloha,

Lacy

Click here see how others resopnded to today’s word prompt: Magnet

Here are a few of my favorites:

https://imageandword.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/daily-prompt-magnet/comment-page-1/#comment-4313

https://sparksfromacombustiblemind.com/2017/06/29/strange-attractors/#comment-6204

https://keepingthisreal.blog/2017/06/29/beyond-reason/comment-page-1/#comment-75