The first thing I always notice is the smell. It is a very distinctive smell, one part sweet and one part salty. The smell is so strong it is almost overpowering yet comforting. As I sit there, it lingers in my nose and my memory is jogged. Now I can hear the sounds of the calming crash and roll of the white caps. I feel the granules underneath my feet and in between my toes. When I turn to look, I see nothing and it is wonderful. Open space is so freeing, so comforting. I close my eyes and I see him. My uncle is a tall lanky man. He has a muscular build all topped off with a light brown, almost blond mop. His eyes are a piercing light green and his voice is soothing and low. He has that smell all the time, everyday. Whenever I see my Uncle Tom, I see the ocean. Whenever I see the ocean, I see my Uncle Tom. Each of them have certain characteristics which remind me of the other. Both Tommy and the ocean are playful, passionate, forces of Nature. They are one, never to be separated.
Uncle Tommy and the ocean love to play. As I sit on the beach, I love to watch the waves crash on the wet sand, playing. The Ocean is pretty boring to someone who is not properly acquainted. True, the ocean is a ton of blue green water all in one spot, but it is also much more. I think of the ocean as trapped between the large masses of land that shape it, trying to make it fit into the mold of conformity. “It Tommy, not Tom or Thomas,” says my uncle constantly. My grandparents always shake their heads at this act of immaturity, but that is my uncle. I think of him as a kid trapped in an adult body. He tends to appear boring on the outside, blending with the businessmen of Boston, but he is far from it. His job is to advertise extreme sporting equipment, like snowboards and surfboards and rock climbing harnesses. What kind of businessman insists his clients address him with a childhood nickname? The same man who convinces his company in order to advertise the equipment he must first try it. Tommy is all about the playing in life. To him life is a huge jungle gym and he is going to take advantage, swinging from all the monkey bars, sliding down all the slides, and climbing everything that can possibly be climbed. Tommy especially loves playing with the ocean. He is an avid surfer and was my teacher. He surfs everyday from late March to late November. He would surf everyday of the entire year but New England weather is a bit chilly. He has a connection with the ocean unlike anyone else. Uncle Tommy and the Ocean are like two best friends playing through life.
Another characteristic both Tommy and the Ocean possess is passion. Uncle Tommy was the first to introduce me to his friend, the ocean. When he talks about the water it is like poetry. He talks as if the ocean were a person, alive and well. He sometimes just sits on the beach and has silent conversations with the water. His passion for the ocean is shown through the dedication and love for it. He could never live in a landlocked place. He would lose his best friend. I am glad Uncle Tommy shared the ocean with me. It started with surfing and now my relationship with the water has only grown. Tommy and I go surfing all the time. He taught me how to appreciate the water, allowing myself to float and trust. Uncle Tommy respects the water and the water respects him. Most surfers try to conquer the ocean, my uncle flows with it. The waves crest and he pops up. Smoothly, he glides along the surface defying gravity. The Ocean shows its passion for Tommy by allowing him to do so. The waves always seem perfect for Tommy, as if the water was saving the best waves for him. Yet, the water is calm and yet full of motion. When a storm awakens the sleeping monster, hell hath no fury. The ocean becomes feisty, almost passionate, as it rises to the challenge. It can destroy a coastline like a snack before the feast. Tommy might be one of the most relaxed and laid back people in the world, however he too can be stirred to frenzy. Tommy uses his passion to crush his opponents like waves crashing against the coast. Tommy and the ocean are full of passion.
There are five forces of nature, earth, wind, fire, water, and Tommy. Both the ocean and Tommy are huge forces of nature. When Tommy walks into a room, he appears to be a shaggy haired, chill, thirty-something beach bum who smells of salt and leaves a trail of sand behind. He looks like he has no ambition, yet he built his own house. It is a small beach house just down the road from me. He built his house in such a way that the ocean is always present and that is the way he likes it. The better story is when he built his house. Tommy had just graduated college with a degree in business. He had no job, he had a bunch of debt, and he was still going back to school for a Masters. Instead of doing what most people would do and just get a job, any job, he instead took out another loan. He bought his supplies and land then got to work. He just started to build, no plans, no help, no nothing. He worked on that house of two years and finally it was done. It is a single floor layout where you can see the ocean from any room. A business major with no money or professional help or any idea how to build a model, no less a house, erected a full, up-to-code house that just happens to have a view of the ocean from every single room. Tommy is a force of nature, tempting any opponents that think themselves worthy to battle him. The ocean is literately a true force of nature. It can do damage as well as be very useful. The water can just as easily create a category four hurricane, as it can allow human to use it to transport valuable resources. The ocean cannot build a house, but it can be used for energy and as a source of food. Tommy did complete his Masters and got a very good job, probably the job of his dreams. He is a force to be reckoned with just like the ocean. Strong and powerful, diligent and stubborn, both Tommy and the ocean are forces of nature.
Uncle Tommy and the Ocean are and always will be intertwined. Tommy is a part of the ocean. The ocean is part of Tommy. They could not live without each other there for support. I know if he absolutely had to move to a landlocked place, Tommy would survive, however his soul lies in the water. When my uncle is sad or happy or angry or feeling anything, he goes to the ocean. When he is there, it is like watching two old friends talking. Often my uncle will just sit on the beach and absorb, take in the smells, watch the waves, taste the air. The ocean and Tommy share their playful attitudes, their passion for life, and their ability to do things their own way. Tommy is responsible for my deep relationship with the Ocean. Tommy and I go surfing or swimming or even beach sitting all the time. When I am away from the ocean, I feel as though I am a fish out of water, literally. We understand it because we are a part of it: the ocean.
The first thing I always notice is the smell. It is a very distinctive smell, one part sweet and one part salty. The smell is so strong it is almost overpowering yet comforting. As I sit there, it lingers in my nose and my memory is jogged. Now I can hear the sounds of the calming crash and roll of the white caps. I feel the granules underneath my feet and in between my toes. When I turn to look, I see nothing and it is wonderful. Open space is so freeing, so comforting. I close my eyes and I see him. My uncle is a tall lanky man. He has a muscular build all topped off with a light brown, almost blond mop. His eyes are a piercing light green and his voice is soothing and low. He has that smell all the time, everyday. Whenever I see my Uncle Tom, I see the ocean. Whenever I see the ocean, I see my Uncle Tom. Each of them have certain characteristics which remind me of the other. Both Tommy and the ocean are playful, passionate, forces of Nature. They are one, never to be separated.
Uncle Tommy and the ocean love to play. As I sit on the beach, I love to watch the waves crash on the wet sand, playing. The Ocean is pretty boring to someone who is not properly acquainted. True, the ocean is a ton of blue green water all in one spot, but it is also much more. I think of the ocean as trapped between the large masses of land that shape it, trying to make it fit into the mold of conformity. “It Tommy, not Tom or Thomas,” says my uncle constantly. My grandparents always shake their heads at this act of immaturity, but that is my uncle. I think of him as a kid trapped in an adult body. He tends to appear boring on the outside, blending with the businessmen of Boston, but he is far from it. His job is to advertise extreme sporting equipment, like snowboards and surfboards and rock climbing harnesses. What kind of businessman insists his clients address him with a childhood nickname? The same man who convinces his company in order to advertise the equipment he must first try it. Tommy is all about the playing in life. To him life is a huge jungle gym and he is going to take advantage, swinging from all the monkey bars, sliding down all the slides, and climbing everything that can possibly be climbed. Tommy especially loves playing with the ocean. He is an avid surfer and was my teacher. He surfs everyday from late March to late November. He would surf everyday of the entire year but New England weather is a bit chilly. He has a connection with the ocean unlike anyone else. Uncle Tommy and the Ocean are like two best friends playing through life.
Another characteristic both Tommy and the Ocean possess is passion. Uncle Tommy was the first to introduce me to his friend, the ocean. When he talks about the water it is like poetry. He talks as if the ocean were a person, alive and well. He sometimes just sits on the beach and has silent conversations with the water. His passion for the ocean is shown through the dedication and love for it. He could never live in a landlocked place. He would lose his best friend. I am glad Uncle Tommy shared the ocean with me. It started with surfing and now my relationship with the water has only grown. Tommy and I go surfing all the time. He taught me how to appreciate the water, allowing myself to float and trust. Uncle Tommy respects the water and the water respects him. Most surfers try to conquer the ocean, my uncle flows with it. The waves crest and he pops up. Smoothly, he glides along the surface defying gravity. The Ocean shows its passion for Tommy by allowing him to do so. The waves always seem perfect for Tommy, as if the water was saving the best waves for him. Yet, the water is calm and yet full of motion. When a storm awakens the sleeping monster, hell hath no fury. The ocean becomes feisty, almost passionate, as it rises to the challenge. It can destroy a coastline like a snack before the feast. Tommy might be one of the most relaxed and laid back people in the world, however he too can be stirred to frenzy. Tommy uses his passion to crush his opponents like waves crashing against the coast. Tommy and the ocean are full of passion.
There are five forces of nature, earth, wind, fire, water, and Tommy. Both the ocean and Tommy are huge forces of nature. When Tommy walks into a room, he appears to be a shaggy haired, chill, thirty-something beach bum who smells of salt and leaves a trail of sand behind. He looks like he has no ambition, yet he built his own house. It is a small beach house just down the road from me. He built his house in such a way that the ocean is always present and that is the way he likes it. The better story is when he built his house. Tommy had just graduated college with a degree in business. He had no job, he had a bunch of debt, and he was still going back to school for a Masters. Instead of doing what most people would do and just get a job, any job, he instead took out another loan. He bought his supplies and land then got to work. He just started to build, no plans, no help, no nothing. He worked on that house of two years and finally it was done. It is a single floor layout where you can see the ocean from any room. A business major with no money or professional help or any idea how to build a model, no less a house, erected a full, up-to-code house that just happens to have a view of the ocean from every single room. Tommy is a force of nature, tempting any opponents that think themselves worthy to battle him. The ocean is literately a true force of nature. It can do damage as well as be very useful. The water can just as easily create a category four hurricane, as it can allow human to use it to transport valuable resources. The ocean cannot build a house, but it can be used for energy and as a source of food. Tommy did complete his Masters and got a very good job, probably the job of his dreams. He is a force to be reckoned with just like the ocean. Strong and powerful, diligent and stubborn, both Tommy and the ocean are forces of nature.
Uncle Tommy and the Ocean are and always will be intertwined. Tommy is a part of the ocean. The ocean is part of Tommy. They could not live without each other there for support. I know if he absolutely had to move to a landlocked place, Tommy would survive, however his soul lies in the water. When my uncle is sad or happy or angry or feeling anything, he goes to the ocean. When he is there, it is like watching two old friends talking. Often my uncle will just sit on the beach and absorb, take in the smells, watch the waves, taste the air. The ocean and Tommy share their playful attitudes, their passion for life, and their ability to do things their own way. Tommy is responsible for my deep relationship with the Ocean. Tommy and I go surfing or swimming or even beach sitting all the time. When I am away from the ocean, I feel as though I am a fish out of water, literally. We understand it because we are a part of it: the ocean.
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1 comment:
Very interesting!! It is pretty cool how you were able to relate your uncle to the ocean! Very well written piece!
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