O is for...

O is for Olive Oil, Ostriches and the Ocean.

I love the ocean. Love it. Everything about it....aside from going in it.

I could sit on the sand for hours (and I have, this week!) and watch the waves roll in and out. There's nothing like it. Any stress or tension I might be feeling rolls right off of me with it. The sound, the feel, the breeze, the smell...it's my favorite place to be.

I used to love going in the ocean, until the shark incident of 06.

Long story short, Andrew and I were splashing around at Myrtle Beach. He was trying to teach me how to body surf. We were standing approximately 6-8 feet apart. Andrew gasped and pointed to the water, and exclaimed "Look at that!!!" I turned and saw a shark.

Yes, a real, live, 4-5 foot shark.

Before I knew it, I was running full speed toward the empty beach, flailing my limbs and screaming the word "shark!!!"

Since then, I've been paralyzed by fear any time I think about stepping foot in the ocean.

I still love and adore everything else about it. So it's filled with man-eating, dangerous and potentially deadly fish/mammals...I hold no grudges.