a place of acceptance

The ocean has been here long before I made my little grand entrance.  It will remain here long after I depart at my days' end.

Every person dotting the beach is here today because they want to be or somebody who loves them brought them along.  Of course, there might be few who feel forced, manipulated or guilted into coming. Sadly, such approach, even if it's driven by good intentions, effectively ruins the fun available to all who come of their own free will. 

The ocean doesn't need anything from me nor does it place any expectations on me.  It doesn't judge me for being fat or skinny, smart or stupid, introvert or extrovert, clean or messy. 

This is hard to grasp for most of us who grow up and live under the burden of impossible demands our surroundings - family, school, church, social media, and even our own deluded selves - place on us.  Sometimes I don't even realize I've compromised my soul in my futile attempt to fit in and be accepted.

The ocean in turn says to me,

"You already fit in with me! You are already accepted here just the way you are."

I am a blessed beneficiary of all its affection, generosity and grandeur.

There is no age limit to enjoying the ocean - you are never too young, never too old to play.  

All our little labels - what you do, who you are, who you know, how many followers you have, even what you believe - matter little here.  The ocean is equally at ease with the scarred used-to-be's and the naive wanna-be's; the woman covered from head-to-toe in burka, the bald guy in Speedo showing off his full-body tattoo and the wounded artist plagued by unresolved anger and angst.

Surrounded by the vastness of the sky above, the endless sand beach under my feet, and the great big blue, my huge, unsolvable problems, my enormously unbearable burdens are scaled down to size.  

Curiously, as my problems are being reduced, I don't feel diminished as a person.

There is something deep inside me - something good, and gentle, and kind - that actually gets at least a little bit enlarged. 

Or perhaps, awakened...