Spring Break Cruise

My roommate, Stephanie, and I recently arrived home from a spring break cruise. The cruise left from San Diego and stopped at Catalina Island and Enscenada Mexico. It was my first cruise and one of the best experiences of my life. We got to go horseback riding on the beach in Mexico and kayaking on the ocean in Catalina. Our ship went through a pod of dolphins; for about ten minutes, there were dolphins surrounding the ship in all directions. It was so beautiful. I have never seen dolphins in the wild before. The expanse of ocean, the cool sea wind, the sounds of the birds and waves-I would venture to say that there is nothing more serene, at least to me.
There is something about the ocean that urges me to remember how fortunate I am. It makes me think about what I truly want and who I aspire to be. I had many new adventures and met fascinating people. But most importantly, this cruise made me realize two very important things.

The first: My worst fear is now being stuck on the ocean. I have seen stories about people trapped on rafts or broken down boats. I would always say to myself: "So, they are on a boat. Someone will eventually find them. It could be worse." I now think there would be very few things that could ever be worse. The ocean is massive. Even when our ship basically followed the coast line, there were times when there was no land in sight. I didn't know which way society existed; I didn't know which way was home; there is a very good possibility that no one would ever find you. To a ship in the distance or an airplane, your little raft may only look like another ripple in the water. Furthermore, the degree of darkness on the ocean at night is unbelievable. Without the stars or the moon, it is impossible to take your next step, know the direction your floating, or comprehend what creature could be lurking beneath you. To say the least, it's scary.

The second thing I realized is the habitually understated fact that the world is immense. When you go on vacation, travel somewhere new, meet a dozen people, you recognize and remember the world beyond your little life. Your job, school, family, friends, that boy who broke your heart--nothing matters anymore. All that you are becomes insignificant compared to all that the world is--all the lives, all the places, and all the events that are in existence at any given moment. It's important to remember that when something seems horribly wrong, in the big scheme of things, its really nothing. You fail a test; there will be a chance for extra credit. You get fired, you will find better employment. Love passes you by; you will find someone else. There are so many people and opportunities in the world; remember that your life and the circumstances in it are minute in comparison.