I live in the desert, hundreds of miles from any ocean. Sometimes, the distance is too far. Sometimes the wait to enter the wild waters of the ocean is too long. Being in water can be calming, invigorating, healing, meditative or exhilarating. Sometimes all of these things at once. I finally had the chance to return to the sea, and spend an extended amount of time enjoying the gifts that the waves and the wind and the sun can provide. Swimming in the waves at sunrise, with nary another person within sight… a gift that I cherished. I heard someone state recently that stepping into the ocean is actually stepping into wilderness. I had never considered it like this before, but it is true. An entirely different world exists out in the ocean, deep below the waves. A world of untamed life, and of unseen risks…for sure... but also one that is awe-inspiring and capable of providing unexpected transcendence. In a word: sublime.