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Why I Give Thanks for the Ocean: My Top Nine Reasons

This week, Americans everywhere will stop and give thanks. No matter where we live, what we believe, or who we voted for, we will all take time to appreciate what we have. The one thing that unites those of us in the BlueTube community is our appreciation for the ocean. Here are nine reasons why I am thankful for the ocean.

  1. It’s the perfect place to spend time with family, friends or myself.
  2. The ocean gave my father great joy, and he passed this joy on to me. I’m happy that my children share their parents’ love of the ocean too.
  3. The ocean is always different, always engaging. There’s always something new to discover and admire: the light, the sky, what flies overhead, swims past, or washes up.
  4. The ocean is good for my soul. My problems seem small next to its vastness. Perhaps this is why I’m kinder, happier and more patient when I spend time at the ocean.
  5. The sea cures physical ills. Poison ivy? The itch goes away when you float in the ocean. Sore throat? Gargle while you swim. Sinus problems? Dive down and smell the bottom.
  6. The ocean is outside. Being outside is always better than being inside.
  7. I feel at home in the ocean. Maybe there are memories from my early, ocean-dwelling ancestors lurking in my blood. I don’t know why I feel at home. I just do.
  8. Most of the oxygen I breathe (70%) is produced by phytoplankton in the ocean.
  9. The ocean is a great place to think. My mind flits around and takes everything in but focuses on nothing in particular, and sometimes, a great idea pops into my head.

The idea for BlueTube appeared one day at the beach. What if ocean-lovers everywhere had a bag and a reminder when they got to the beach? They would, of course, keep the beach clean, keep plastic out of the ocean, and provide bags for others to do the same. And this is what we do. We don’t have to. We want to. Your list is different from mine, but we all have plenty of reasons to give thanks for the ocean. It’s a pleasure to protect and care for what we love.

Happy Thanksgiving!