For those who've seen the ocean plenty of times, or even live near the great blue, the ocean is easy to take for granted. "Yeah, yeah, horizon and waves, what else is new."
But when an adult comes across a sense of an unfathomably gigantic earth, and their small place within it, people can really trip out.
A Reddit thread compiled a whole bunch of the various experiences of first-timers at the ocean.
As some of these show, it's apparently not uncommon to sense the grand beauty and get absolutely sucker punched by it within the same minute.
u/Mr_moochalot asked, "Redditors who didn't see the ocean until they were an adult, what was your initial reaction upon seeing the ocean from a coastline?"
Children are the Bravest
I was standing there with my ankles barely in the water wondering how all these little kids were just going right in and not terrified of the ocean.
When Taste Doesn't Live Up to Sight
I still remember the first time I saw the Atlantic, it was absolutely beautiful and I just had to try the ocean water, is it really salty?
Yes, it is. I won't do that again, either. But at least I know.
GiphyTread Lightly
Waves are fu**ing strong.
I only swam in pools and lakes until my mid-20s so had no experience with anything bigger than maybe 1 or 2 -foot waves...
I went to the Pacific coast all excited to swim in the ocean and started to walk in when I got hit with a six foot wave.
Flat Sliced Sky
It reminded me of the prairies. There aren't many places in Canada where you can see the true horizon, with no mountains or trees to block your view.
Go Ahead, Nerd. Touch it.
All I could think was how terrifyingly awesome it was to look out on endless miles of water, roiling and crashing together. I felt like an ant as I stepped into the ocean for the first time.
Then I realized just how f***ing cold the water was.
Snob
As a midwesterner, my impression of the Atlantic was "huh. Looks just like Lake Michigan."
GiphyA Profound Immensity
The world is beautiful, endless. I'd survived and I was free. The tears came later, then I just sat and stared.
What Doesn't Come Through in the Movies
I never knew how it sounded. The simple, constant roar. Was pleasantly surprised at how hypnotic it was.
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