I grew up on the beach. Even today, when I'm at the beach, I'm a different person. The power of the ocean is magnificent. Think of a huge northeast swell at the Northshore of Oahu, for example. When I attempt to enter the surf on days like that, I never feel less in control of my existence. At other times the ocean is asleep, like a glassy and flat lake. The ocean is, in fact, never the same. Wave size can even vary according to the time of day.
What is true of the ocean is true of us. Our moods ebb and flow like the tides. All the while you can't wait to plunge in. It's a scientific fact that the ocean has healing power. Before Becky passed away we were planning on one last trip to Oahu. I booked a room at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel on Waikiki Beach for a week. Suddenly she was taken from me. "Do I still go or not?" I asked myself. I went. For 7 days I celebrated the life of the most beautiful person I had ever known. I surfed and swam and snorkeled, basking in the warmth of the Hawaiian winter sun. A sound mind in a sound body. The ocean makes for both. My spiritual life mirrors my physical one.
The ocean causes, among other things, relief from anxiety, better stress management, and enhanced mental powers. I can attest to all of the above. You and I, each of us, must find what works for us. Will the ocean do for you what it does for me? Will it give you renewed emotional and physical health?
You'll never know until you try for yourself.
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| Kailua Beach, July 3, 2025. |