I have a complicated relationship with the ocean. Although I grew up within walking distance of the Pacific, I find it terrifying. It is deep and dark, with a foreboding power that can pull casual bathers out from shore and prevent them from ever returning. I am haunted by dreams of large waves. 

 

Yet, on a clear day, when the wind is calm, the ocean can be transcendant and cathartic. The glitter of the sun on the water's surface and the smell of the salt can make everything else seem inconsequential.