Where the ocean meets my soul

by Ashley Swistchew

A leap into the unknown United States

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It was summer. I had sufficiently flipped my life around, yet again and was in dire need to flee and find an adventure to bring me back to life. I strapped my surf board to my car, grabbed my passport and didn't look back. It was me and an untold journey ahead of me and it was exactly what I needed. I wasn't sure where I was headed but so long as there was a beach at the end of the road trip, I knew I'd be alright. Out of Vancouver I went, the sun was just peaking up over the mountains, the coffee in my hand reflecting back to me all that glorious warmth. Flash forward 5 hours later and I had found myself in Oregon. Little did I know what I would find when I reached the shore line but the vibe was instant and I knew I was some place magical. I will never forget the sight of the ocean as I rolled into Pacific City, Cape Kwianda to be precise. The waves, the beach, the way the sun was frolicking over the surf and pelicans flying high above it all with what can only be a slightly more breath taking view. It was the first place I had ever been that allowed you to drive straight onto the beach and I didn't waste a single second. It was me, my board and as I paddled out, every last worry and problem melted away. It was the first time I discovered my souls ability to expand well beyond the physical barriers of my body. For my whole spirit to connect with a location rather than another human being. This was it for me, I found pure bliss. The travel bug had biten me years before but it's vemon hadn't reached my heart till that very moment. Sitting in the waves, staring back at the beach, I just knew life was meant to be experienced in profound ways such as this and all my wild decisions instantly made perfect sense. The stars has aligned and showed me the way. Travelling has endless benefits but when it can bring peace and a high sense of being to your life, that's when it's magic. It is my greatest wish to inspire those who spend their lives living vicariously through others to shed their self made constraints and go explore. At the end of the day, we just don't know what's out there for us, just waiting to change our lives, just waiting to bring us back to life.