Thursday, August 6, 2009

The Ocean Within



Our life began in the ocean. Millions of years ago, one-celled living organisms began to spring up in the ocean, in hot places, like spots where there were undersea volcanoes.


For a very long time, all living things were water-bound, living in the sea. Then, a few hundred million years ago, which is a short time in the grand scheme of the existence of the earth, some living things emerged from the ocean and began to live on the land.


But when we left the sea, after millions of years of living there, we took the ocean with us.


The moon controls the tides. Females experience monthly cycles. Those cycles are very much tied to the moon, as are the tides in the ocean. Retaining water? What female hasn't experienced that?

When a woman becomes pregnant, she provides water for the baby which is essential for its growth. The baby lives and grows in an amniotic sac. The amniotic fluid is salty. In fact, it is almost exactly the same as the water in the ocean -- The salt content is the same. Our blood contains salt water. Our sweat is salt water. We carry the ocean inside of us in our blood and in our sweat. And when we cry, we cry the ocean, in our tears.


The pull of the ocean is so strong. Almost every human being who has seen the ocean feels inexplicably drawn to it. It's mesmerizing. It has the capability to soothe, to energize, to enrich and renew. Some have said, "It isn't summer without a trip to the beach." Is it any wonder that the ocean has that power over us? Our ancient genetic memory recalls our first home.


I think that the fascination that we have with the sea, the ocean, is its power and its mystery. There is nothing more powerful than an ocean in a storm. A huge ocean liner will become like a cork and bob on massive waves. The mystery of the ocean is its incredible depth and all of the strange creatures that live at the bottom, at those tremendous pressures, and survive. Not only survive, but thrive. We will never see them -- to bring them to the surface means that they would burst from the lack of pressure, and die.


Sitting on the beach, one can get lost in just watching the ocean, watching the waves coming in, going out. We are hypnotized by it. We know that the waves will come in, and retreat, and yet we watch...for hours on end. The beach, the shore, a constant, waits for the tides to come in and to retreat, ever changing.


The ocean inspires me. I am reminded of a poem that I wrote and had inscribed on the back of a gold identification bracelet which I gave my husband when our children were babies. He told me that the poem meant more to him than did the bracelet. My poem said, "We are the shore and you the ocean. For none is there a greater devotion."


Life is mysterious. Life is wonderful. We are all tied together in our history of life. We BBESTers are tied together by our common goals and interests, and more than a few of us share a love for the sea. Here are a few examples:



Moonlight Surf


Seascape
by Backroomtreasures









July Splendor

Nemo's Friends


by MysticSilks


Footprints by Bethpeardonprods




Toy Boat, Toy Boat by Vanfleetstreetdesign




Twisters at Sea by Onawhimsey



Ocean Dreams by DianeClancy










Seaspray by YankeeGirl








Sunset by TheCreatorsPalette
Beach by FauveStudio

Ship on the Horizon by FauveStudio


I am truly amazed how the ocean inspires each of these artists in different and beautiful ways.



Nonnie




17 comments:

BALLET NEWS said...

Hello, just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your wonderful post, thank you - I'm really loving your blog too !

On a Whimsey said...

What a beautiful post! The ocean truly has a magnetic effect on all of us. I love the way you described it along with the lovely poem you wrote. Thank you so much for including my encaustic!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful post Nonnie. Loved reading it and
I especially loved seeing all of the fabulous work
from our team.

Chauncey said...

Nonnie, I haven't seen the ocean yet this summer and your lovely post has me itching to rectify that.

blazingneedles said...

Wonderful post Nonnie! We will be going on our yearly jaunt to Chincoteague VA in November - and now I can't wait!!!!

Zuda Gay Pease said...

What beautiful art work!! Thank you, Nonnie!

yankeegirl said...

What a wonderful feature on one of my favorite things. So well written and personal...love your poem.

Thanks for including my "Sea Spray" watercolor!!

MYSTIC SILKS said...

Nonnie, what a beautiful blog about the ocean. I have always been attracted by any large body of water, but especially the ocean.

Thank you for includig two of my ocean paintings in your wonderful blog!

Renée Gandy said...

I love what you wrote about the ocean and how we as humans are tied to it and drwan to it.
I have always felt this strongly.

Nonnie said...

Thank you everybody!

Kim said...

oooo Nonnie! What an honor to be a featured member on our blog! Thank you, you did a wonderful job!
Brett

dianeclancy said...

This is fantastic!! Thank you so much for including me!! I know how long these things take!

Here is my post about this ...

http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog/2009/08/featured-by-bbest-boomers-and-beyond-by-nonnie/

~ Diane Clancy
www.DianeClancy.com/blog
www.DianeClancy.etsy.com

Judy Nolan said...

What a wonderful post! There is power and meaning in the ocean indeed--thanks for addressing some of that in this blog.

joon said...

I love the ocean. Our dream is to live on the beach. Thanks for sharing your poem and thoughts and all of our bbest friends' gorgeous water works. :)

Jill said...

You're right about the ocean being insprational. That explains why so many choose to live in areas torn by hurricanes and other storms.

Pam said...

Incredible, Nonnie. Simply incredible! Beautiful writing. I love being near the ocean...and you've expanded my thinking about why that is. Thank you.

Kim said...

This is a wonderfully poetic post. I love the way in which you tie the ocean into our biological being. It left me feeling watery(lol),fluid, at one with.
Thank you for the post and for including my "Toy Boat" piece.