Our Friend, Our Ocean

Looking back at the various days Anam Prem members are used to celebrating, this day is definitely one all of our members are eagerly waiting for every year. The day we run to the nearby beaches and coastal areas, out of reverence for and in remembrance of the mighty Oceans. Geographically, this big blue body of water covering 3/4th parts of this planet is split up into  multiple parts by names and annotations, but for us, it is one interconnected entity - the Ocean. It is not just a sustainer of life on this planet, but a blessing on the human kind. For owing to its grace, we as humans have flourished and risen to the best within us. From providing food and nutrients to building economies, there is very little the Ocean has not done for helping us flourish. But sadly, owing to its enormity, we believed nothing that we do could ever cause problems to the ocean. But a cumulative effect of all the actions from our past started showing its effects from our generation - the 21st century 

A Distraught Relationship 

Over the years that passed by, our ambitions grew by leaps and bounds and ruling over the Seven Seas became the new axiom for us. Thus, began the march towards growth and development to rule the seas and improve our prospects of material prosperity. But as our friendship grew with our own ingenuity, multiplied capabilities  and progress, we somehow severed the connections we had established with the Ocean. Economics of scale and global outreach, production lines, profits, targets whatever our intentions may be, the ultimate consequence was the deepening of this chasm. Why did this happen? The reason was our perception of the ocean changed from that of  a provider and place of reverence to a resource, waiting to be utilized and exploited for our own gains. But innately we weren't this way at all. If need be, one can go back and read about all the innately sustainable and thoughtful practices of the ancient and traditional fisheries communities all across the globe. They were never trained or taught ideas and ideals of sustainability, and yet this concept flowed in the undercurrent of their occupation and activities. It was because they revered the Ocean as an entity - a God, a natural force driving existence on this planet and were humbled by its vastness. This is precisely what we forgot as time passed by. 

Reach Out, Connect Again 

Coming back to our present times, the disturbance of this relationship has brought us many problems. The overwhelming problem of single use plastics, oceanic pollution, overfishing and declining marine stocks, coral bleaching and rising sea temperatures - many such challenges are currently facing all of us and I am happy to see that our generation is now becoming cognizant of these issues and is actively working towards solving these - one step at a time. But along with all our efforts of applying science, technology and human ingenuity, I believe we need one more ingredient to be added in this mix - that of deep reverence and respect for the ocean as a living embodiment of nature - alive, breathing and forever