Why I’ll Always Feel at Home Near Water
There’s something about water that feels like it holds me together when the rest of the world tries to tear me apart. I’ve never been one to find peace in crowded rooms or noisy streets. My peace has always come from water—rivers, lakes, oceans, even the sound of rain beating down on my roof. It’s like my soul breathes differently when water is close by.
Florida Waters, My Healing Place
Out of everywhere I’ve traveled, nowhere hits me deeper than Florida’s waters. Not the tourist-packed beaches with overpriced drinks and loud music—I mean the tucked-away spots, the rivers and springs where the world slows down. The places where the air feels heavy with salt, and the rhythm of the tide feels like it’s syncing with your heartbeat.
When I step into the ocean down there, I feel something shift. My chest loosens, my head clears, and it’s like the water knows me. Like it’s been waiting for me to come back home.
Water Has Always Called to Me
Even as a kid, I was drawn to it. Pools, creeks, the Gulf—didn’t matter. I’d sit in the water for hours, until my fingers wrinkled, and I’d still never want to leave. Later in life, when the storms hit—both the real ones and the kind life throws at you—water was still the only thing that calmed me.
Some people say water is cleansing. I believe it. Every time I sink under, I feel layers of heaviness peel off me. Pain, stress, anger—they all get washed away, even if just for a little while.
The Connection Runs Deep
I’ve always felt like water wasn’t just something I loved—it was something I was meant to be near. The way some people feel rooted to mountains or forests, I feel rooted to the tide. If I go too long without being near water, I feel off, like a piece of me is missing.
That’s why no matter where I live, I’ll always find my way back to Florida waters. It’s not a vacation to me—it’s a soul reset.
Home Isn’t Just a Place
People always ask where “home” is. For me, it’s not about a house or a town. Home is standing at the edge of the ocean, feeling the waves crash at my feet, tasting the salt on my lips, and knowing I belong to something bigger than all the chaos I carry around.
That’s why I’ll always feel at home near water—because water has never once let me down. It’s never judged me, never ignored me, never asked for more than I had to give. It just lets me be, exactly as I am.
That’s home to me. Not walls. Not roofs. Water. Always water.
