In this past week, I read a particularly meaningful article that asks the reader (me) to consider how much of an impact my little allotted corner of space on the globe has on my emotional, mental and physical well-being. I suppose, as a human race, some people are aware of these effects, however, for the most part, not anywhere near the forefront of our minds (too busy with something else to do, somewhere else to go, and someone else to look after), but likely something more of white noise backdrop in the box of frogs daily life routine that has sadly become the norm of society. After contemplating my surroundings and how they are a reflection of myself (which is entirely true!), I began to ponder my most perfect environment to be in, should I ever have the ability to magic myself there at any given moment I wish. So…my place is The Sea.

The sea is a place that invites me to give myself permission to let my mind wander and think about anything – silly little daydreams to really, truly full-blown serious matters. It is non-judgemental – while perched on a sand dune, I can laugh, scream, cry or just sit silently and watch the shoreline greet me; and always willing take some of my tears as it recedes. It comes back to listen to some more of my thoughts,dreams,excuses and rants (do you actually know anyone who would do that every single time without hesitation?), yet all the while, gently letting me know when it is time to get out of my head (because sometimes being alone in your head can be a dark place to be) by the changing of the tides.

The sea is ever changing, there is no one minute that it is ever the same. Ever. This is somehow comforting, reminding me that no one minute of life is ever the same either. The sound of the sea is soothing to the soul yet empowering to the mind. It dares to roar, untamed and unashamed, but can also choose to be quite placid at times. Yet even at its most ugly moments, it has an incredible beauty and strength about it. The place where the sea meets the sky is an unattainable place that radiates vast hope and grace.

The sea itself looks unassuming on the surface, waves glittering when the sun touches the water; while beneath, there are things that we know are there but cannot see. It is a certainty that there many more things beneath the waves that are yet to be discovered. And all the while, a rip tide, undercurrent,underground rivers, and fault lines that are invisible at surface level are also at work, quickly or slowly, but steadily nonetheless.

I imagine this is much the same scenario with people. We all have a surface, a face that we show to the world, and depending on the way you look at it, it will be labelled by ourselves or others as either ugly or beautiful, or perhaps both. We all have things (ideas, memories, secrets, passions, downright ugliness) that others will know are there should we choose to invite them to see or not. Tiny glimpses into our world beneath our surface are shown unwittingly in the viewpoints we demonstrate, the deeds we do (or do not do for that matter), and behaviours we display. And then finally, the personal undercurrent, the deep down soul secrets that may never be known to ourselves, let alone any other living being.

To this end, I completely identify with the entire entity.

Resources: Jordan Brown, The Mental Health Update