Coastal [h.s]

The Sea

~Maggie~

The feeling of tanned skin soaking in the warm summer sun, of sand rushing past your toes, of the ocean salt brushing past your lips, of the lulling waves, the feeling of home... well there's nothing like it. Those waves have been better friends of mine than any kid my age for my whole life. They rock me and hold me when I'm sad and sing me lullabies that no one will ever be able to recreate. I know I should find the ocean deep and dark and scary, but how could something that brings so much joy also hold so much terror—I don't buy it. I'll stick to my quiet but joyful moments telling those waves about each and every moment of my day, about my biggest fears and greatest accomplishments, and them telling me a million stories back. I'll keep the ocean in my line of sight in everything I do, I'll never be too far. And in those moments where I can't see the shiny crest of the waves, I know that the lessons they have taught me are always in my back pocket.

Sometimes you can jump over, sometimes you have to dive right through, but there's always a way to come up for air on the other side.

Sometimes you can ride a wave all the way to the shore, sometimes it will only take you halfway in, but another one will always come along, and eventually, you'll make it.

Sometimes the waves are calm, almost non-existent, sometimes they're rough, almost unrecognizable, but it's always the same ocean, and it's always there when you need it.

I know that the ocean does not belong only to me, but it's nice to pretend it does. To pretend it's my lifelong partner and doesn't do the things we do with anyone else. But that's just not true. The ocean touches everywhere, everything, and everyone. It's always been there from the day the earth formed to the day I was born to today and forevermore.