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. ----------

Remember rope, held tight in your hands? Instead of being only thing keeping your head above water, it may be thing keeping ONLY your head above water. Is it holding you up or dragging you down? Let go of it and float on your back for a while. Close your eyes and drift with gentle tide as it carries you onto beach, safe and well.

Let go.