Of course, when we buy into need to have something (like money) in order to be something (like happy), we invite need’s partner, FEAR, into our lives big time. For when we believe we need something we then either fear we won’t get it, or once we achieve it we fear we’ll lose it.

We need nothing! Everything our souls desire is right here for us. Look within at what gives you real happiness. When you recognize that love brings true happiness, and that to love (including self-love) is also just a choice to make, then you realize that you need nothing else--you have everything your soul desires.

Now, sometimes when I talk about this people will take an extreme situation, saying something like, "How can I choose to be happy when I’ve just suffered loss of a loved one or a crushing blow to my self esteem?" Well, in those situations it would be foolish to try to choose happiness. By all means, choose to grieve or anger, but not for long. Grieve and anger for natural benefits those states bring based on situation, then, as quickly as possible, choose to be happy again. Why? If happiness is your desired state, then choose it as often as you really desire it. But maybe it’s not really your desired state. Maybe, at some level, you’re deciding to be sad, angry, anxious, or morose. What do you choose?

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Reason Five: Being with ocean is satisfying in itself. At home, I’m doing things most of time. Yet at ocean I can just sit and be with it for hours on end. I don’t have to accomplish anything to feel day is successful-- success is simply being there. Absorbing sights, sounds, smells, and feel of ocean environment satisfies my inner desires for accomplishment. Each day of life can bring same inner satisfaction--just by absorbing my surroundings.

Reason Six: The ocean supports a near endless variety of life forms. No one form seems favored, none is chosen. There is no single way to succeed within ocean’s depths. Life forms take different approaches to feeding and reproducing. And ocean accepts them all. We tend to search for one right way to succeed in our lives. Self proclaimed experts tell us their way is favored, their way is right. But observing ocean reminds me that any way that works for us is right--we’re all right.

Reason Seven: I feel connected in and around ocean--not only to other people, but also to all of nature. We remove our protective barriers, exposing more of who we are. We shed our clothing and spread our bodies to elements and each other. Contrast body posture of people at a beach with those on a subway or city bus. On bus, people turn inward with shoulders hunched, eyes down or set upon some distant place to avoid contact with others. Arms are folded and legs are crossed. On a beach people turn outward, arms spread wide, legs wide apart, and eyes easily making contact with other people.

Perhaps I’m closer to God at ocean--or I’m paying more attention there, being more open to her communications. ----------