be existential at the beach

i’m not sure if it’s because i grew up in minnesota, but something about being near water realllllly fixes me. the ocean in particular has this effect, i think in meaningful part because i find it quite scary. whenever i feel overwhelmed about life, or i’m getting too anxious or dramatic, i exercise my california privilege and go to the beach.

i find it quite impossible to be stressed about life once i am confronted with the vastness of the ocean. that shit could swallow me whole in less than a second! it doesn’t matter who i am or what i accomplish, or who i strive to be and who i fail to achieve to be, when it comes to the ocean i’m about as substantial as a grain of sand.

this is awesome! it makes my problems feel small and my anxieties about being worthwhile feel sort of trivial. if the ocean wants me right this second it can take me easily, so i better not waste any time being anything but at least content and, if i’m lucky, affirmatively happy.

i think this works with any natural body of water because they’re all much bigger than we are, but certainly the bigger the better. preferably no visible land on the other side. feeling small can actually be so liberating! give it a try 🤗