Why does the ocean draw us? Why is real estate more expensive the closer we get to the coast? Why do we feel better after getting sand and salt water on our bodies and hearing the crashing of the waves and the squawking of seagulls? 

I think one answer is that there is intrinsic beauty and wonder in the sea and our intersection with it. The depths of the oceans are unfathomable; the distance to the horizon on the water can't be seen. The colors and the changing seascapes capture our curiosities, drawing us away from consuming anxieties. 

We can't help but feel small in the presence of the ocean. And yet, we are able to grasp, at least like holding sand in our fist, a glimpse of perspective and place. Like an orderly fit into the larger reality we traverse in without often slowing down. 

The ocean feeds us and points us to something bigger. And welcomes us to take a deep breath.