H2OME

March 2006

The August sun was shining brightly while a light breeze danced across Ann’s face. She swam farther out into the gently rolling waves of the ocean. The sea was full of wondrous things, each unique and beautiful. She wondered how far the ocean went, when did it end? There was so much to explore, so much to understand.
Such power lay deep inside the sea, and yet so many things held power over it. The moon caused it to ebb and flow, the sun’s glittering rays warmed the waves, and the great winds ravaged its surface. And still it remains. Throughout the storms and the turbulence, the ocean always felt like home to Ann. She was constantly drawn to it, whether to watch the rain make ripples on its face, or to see the dolphins leap high out of the water. She remembered all the times that the sea had made her feel safe, but she also remembered the time that it had scared her.
The storm had built up over those few hours, each moment the horizon grew darker and darker. The wind battered the water, making the waves bash the shore like whips of cruelty. It was as if the ocean wanted to defy its borders, to go beyond the beaches that held it back. Ann had seen this, and she was scared. She saw her beloved ocean grow into a terrible thing, something that she couldn’t control. But the terror that gripped her was gone as soon as she saw the first beams of sunlight break through the thick black clouds. The sun made the ocean seem calm and happy. The rays played on the surface like butterflies around a flower in bloom. The warmth comforted the ocean, and it comforted Ann. Without the sun, the ocean would be dark and cold, it wouldn’t be the home that Ann knew it was.