The elements are very apparent at sea. I feel the sun warming my skin, the humidity dampening the crevasses in between the elbows and knees. The apparent wind kisses the blonde hair on my forearms.

The sweet embrace of the sea entrances me. She is a playful partner, supporting my turns and twirls. I point my feet and dive below into the depths. She encompasses me in a salty sweet kiss, brushing my smiling lips. She comforts against the human condition and wipes away worries of the past, present, and future.

The waters surrounding Koh Hong shimmer sea-foam green. It’s as if the jagged limestone is buoyed in a silky bed of jade. Over millions of years the coral in this area compressed and condensed into dramatic limestone islands, jarring against the hazy sky.

A long tail rumbles past. The banana shape slices through the water, kicking up an arc of spray behind it. The Thai people, like most boat people, are friendly, and always returning an enthusiastic wave. This area is a popular tour destination. We meet many visitors taking kayaks through the caves and canals. We are the only ones stand up paddle boarding.

I imagine pushing the past behind me with each stroke of the paddle. I try to push away it all, to focus on this incredible landscape surrounding me. I follow my parents through a hong, a sea cave, clutching a flashlight in my right hand. Paddling becomes an additional challenge as I try to follow my parents into the depths of the darkness. At the very rear we lay flat on the board to pass beneath a small opening. I lay my left ear against the yellow board as black porous rock misses my body by several inches.

We emerge into a body of water deliberately placed in the middle of the island by forces long before the time of civilization.

These formations occurred over 130 millions years ago and were forced up above sea level by the shifting of the continental plates. After enduring the elements for millions of years the top of certain caves have eroded away.

The area is hushed as the afternoon heat beats down on us.

There is freedom in exposed skin, in feeling the sun embracing your entire being.

The water is warm as we slowly paddle around the mangroves. Apparently monkeys live in these areas, but the heat seems to keep them quiet and observant. We pull the paddleboards up on some sand and continue to explore this hidden world.

Thousands of crabs the size of a fingernail decorate the sand. They spook easily so we remain perfectly still until they become comfortable with our long shadows.

They emerge and begin a dance with one another. They have one over-sized claw they banter with, fighting over territory that must seem so large to them. One begins to play with my Dad’s shadow, as if he is emulating the story of David and Goliath.

There is awe in this beautiful setting, where I feel like I have stepped into a world birthed from Jurassic Park and The Jungle Book.

I appreciate this moment with every breath. I appreciate this moment through the act of creating.

As I write, Mom water colors next to me in the cockpit. Dad just finished changing the oil filter in the starboard engine – the smell of diesel permeates the staterooms. Mom is trying to capture the limestone. A perfect medium, considering the stone itself seeps and blends between white, black, orange, grey, red, and brown.

Later we visit a Muslim floating village called Panyee. The mosque guards the rear of the floating village, the gold and white mosaic sparkling in the harsh sun. Over 2,000 people, roughly 400 families, call this place home. What a foreign existence, so different from my own.

The houses on stilts range from run-down and abandoned to freshly painted and thriving with life. I pass women selling dresses and trinkets and notice teenagers lounging on the floor texting on smartphones. The village includes several restaurants and a floating soccer stadium made out of plastic. I hear the call to prayer but don’t see many people praying. The mosque only contains around 40 males in all ages.

I try to imagine living here. What it must feel like to be a teenager with a smart phone living in a floating village with only 2,000 people.

While most of the variables are drastically different than my own life, there are common values that surpass all cultural differences. My mom befriends a mother and her child, both beaming with love for one another. The simple embodiment of love crosses all borders and eliminates all barriers. It transcends the human condition and reminds us that all actions can be based on compassion.

Each human is capable of love; each individual is capable of connecting to one another.