THAT THING WE'RE ALL IN LOVE WITH: THE WATER



"The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen

The world around us is subconsciously striving for simplicity, somewhere to retreat from overstimulation of the brain and the gruelling emphasis on connection. The mind needs space to relax and wander freely, in a situation that is not populated by opinions or new information. We're all trying to cast off from the anchors of technology, stress, and anxiety, and there's an indication that being by the water encourages this, and a developing explanation as to why.

Dr Wallace J. Nichols says that having a shower is like a mini-vacay. Marine biologist and author of Blue Mind, he says: “You step in the shower, and you remove a lot of the visual stimulation of your day. Auditorially, it’s the same thing — it’s a steady stream of blue noise. You’re not hearing voices or processing ideas." Rather than switching off, when you’re showering, your brain switches into a different mode — and while the brain is in a more restful state, suddenly you’re able to make those new or unusual connections. 


"The ocean makes me feel really small and it makes me put my whole life into perspective." - Beyonce Knowles 

Staring at a flat expanse of water does a similar thing. It's a repeating arrangement of waves and bubbles, it is steadfast and it doesn't change no matter what sandy location you're standing on. The ocean covers 70% of the earth, and the enormity of it is apparent to anyone who bathes themselves in the sight of it. There is an unspoken understanding of how wonderful it is to be by the ocean, and no one to question a doctor's order to take a trip to the seaside. 



"The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.” - Vincent van Gogh 

Listening to the murmur of a stream, relaxing in the surf, or being submerged in an icy lake, are some of the blissful things that the water allows us to do. "We are beginning to learn that our brains are hardwired to react positively to water and that being near it can calm and connect us, and increase innovation and insight," writes Nichols. This liquid retreat that God created was formed in an act of creativity, so it is unsurprising that it is a source of inspiration and spiritual connection with God, for believers and non believers as well. 


See the line where the sky meets the sea it calls me, And no one knows, how far it goes, If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me, One day I'll know, if I go there's just no telling how far I'll go - Moana


The universal obsession and attraction to the ocean is a subject of slim research and shallow consideration, but many have attributed it to the colour blue. The majority of us prefer blue above any other colour, and even in nature, we seldom complain about a blue sky or sparkling sea. In marketing, businesses choose to use blue to visually represent themselves because it is often associated with trust, calm, and strength, also inducing a sense of power and cleanliness. 


“It is said by the Eldar that in water there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Ainur more than in any substance that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Ilúvatar hearken still unsated to the voices of the Sea, and yet know not for what they listen.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien

I like to be by the water because it clears my head in a way that a book, conversation, or pill never could. The wind empties my head and the waves fill it with the reassuring beauty of God's creation and the comforting insignificance of who I am in light of who He is. 


Why do you like to be by the water?

Madison xx 

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6 comments:

  1. I absolutely love the beach. I had a pretty bad injury this Summer, so barely got any chance to go down to the beach and feel the salt air on my lungs. I for sure will never have a Summer like that again! I missed the sea and salt air so damn much.

    Beth. x

    Sometimes The Stars

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    1. Oh no! Makes you appreciate the beach even more xx

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  2. These are some great quotes! I am such a quotes person as well :D!
    xx Nicola
    www.morning-elegance.com

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    1. Honestly, sometimes I feel like I could live in the Pinterest quotes section.. Permanently oops xx

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  3. to be totally honest...I´m a bit afraid of the sea haha. but I like it on pictures...great blogpost! and lovely blog design :)
    http://texturecharmscolour.de

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    1. Hahaha it has jellyfish in it.. So fair enough 😂 Thank you!

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