How Meeting one of my Idols Rekindled my Love for the Ocean

Photo by Yoann Boyer on Unsplash

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been in love with the ocean. As a young child, I dreamt of the day I could swim with the wild orca whales & bottlenosed dolphins — settling for pool floaties moulded in their resemblance and backyard dives until that long-awaited day came.

Then life happened.

I spent less and less time in the water.

I grew up and made the practical choice, trading my childhood dreams and fantasies for a steady career in graphic design.

Between the award wins, the big breaks and public praise that followed, the ocean was never on my mind. The truth is, I loved (and still do love) the life I’ve made for myself. It would be a lie if I were to say I regretted the path I chose, because it brought so many amazing people into my life, who continue to inspire me every day. Most importantly, it was the career path and newfound passion that salvaged me all those years ago from the wreckage of old dreams that weren’t possible for me at the time.

Then seemingly out of blue, I connected with someone who quickly became one of my idols.

They lived the life I only knew existed in television — The very life of wildlife and adventure I lived vicariously through my childhood idols, Jeff Corwin, Steve Irwin and The Kratt Brothers.

I developed such a profound respect and admiration for them.

They introduced me to this world that I was unaware even existed — the world of freediving.

On just one 3 minute breath, you’d be transported to this magical underwater realm. I felt like a kid again, seeing the ocean with fresh eyes — even if it was only through a screen until I could get into the water myself.

Soon enough, their life-long passion for the ocean soon rekindled my own. The ocean became an active part of my life again and dreams I thought were impossible for me, now seemed attainable.

As the tides eventually carried us in different directions, one thing is for certain — The impact they had on my life will forever remain.

Time passed and eventually my old dreams and passions came head to head with my present reality and life. I started asking myself, Could I truly live out both simultaneously? Or will I have to chose between the ocean and the life I’ve built for myself all these years?

Now with the time ticking due to the global climate crisis, I’m forced to chose — because I don’t know how much time our ocean has before the coral reefs are completely bleached and fade away and our beloved marine life slowly dies off due to ongoing pollution, overfishing and climate change.

While I haven’t decided just yet, I do know one thing — I won’t let the ocean I love so much slip through my fingers again, let alone the world’s.

So I dusted off my keyboard and began to write.