When we think of waves, we think of the ocean. But everything moves in waves: sand, air, fire, light, even the earth beneath our feet. Life doesn’t move in a straight line, it moves in waves. Human existence, as well: failure, success, sorrow, joy, anger, forgiveness, pandemics, healing. Waves can’t be avoided, but they can be understood — the ugliest wave has a beautiful side. If we only we can see it.
Click on any image to enlarge it, to read caption, or to begin slide show.
TARIQ-M
“She was no better than the shells by her feet, tumbling this way and that at the beck and call of the waves.” ~Katherine McIntyre
“The rush of love and the surge of grief, the respite of peace and then fear again, the heart that beats and then lies still, the rise and fall and rise and fall of all of it…the infinite procession of life. And the ocean wraps the earth, a reminder. The mysteries come forward in waves.” ~Susan Casey
“Waves are not as dangerous as fear of waves.” ~Vikrmn
“Waves are the voices of tides. Tides are life.” ~Tamora Pierce
“The sea, to be happy, like hearts, must be stirred.” ~Will Advise
“If you are a boat that wants to sail in windy weather, you must be more stubborn than the waves!” ~Mehmet Murat ildan
“I tried to discover, in the rumor of forests and waves, words that other men could not hear, and I pricked up my ears to listen to the revelation of their harmony.” ~Gustave Flaubert
“Let the shores tell you the beauty of the ocean waves.” ~Aisha S. Kingu
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” ~Unknown*
≅
*Attributed to various people
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About mitchteemley
Writer, Filmmaker, Humorist, Thinker-about-stuffer
Mitch Teemley 
I love the quotes. And these pictures are amazing! I am reminded of the time I was on a fishing expedition approximately 100 miles off the coast of Galveston, Texas, when we were hit by a tropical storm with sustained winds of just one nautical mile below hurricane force. Riding those waves was like being on a roller coaster!
Then there was the time that I was on a tour boat on Lake Superior, when a 5.7 earthquake hit. More roller coaster waves!!
Yeah, I don’t go on boat trips anymore.
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Oops, correction, I was on Lake Michigan when the 5.7 earthquake hit. This happened in 1987, I believe it was, during a trip to Chicago. The waves produced by the earthquake were superior!
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I’ll bet they were, Linda!
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as of the year 62
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I had just moved to Battle Creek when that earthquake hit and, sitting in my living room reading, I felt my sofa tremble. My best friend was driving down Dickman Road and his steering became erratic. It’s amazing how the waves of an earthquake can give us pause with even the slightest hiccup so far away. Hiccups in life give me pause as well; a good opportunity to remember the sovereignty of God. “Heaven and nature sing” because they trust him. I need to as well. Thanks for chiming in.
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Oh wow! I wondered, when I posted this comment, if anyone who experienced this particular earthquake might happen to see it.
My first clear memory in life is of an earthquake in northern California where I was born. It was either 6.9 or 6.7 on the Richter scale (accounts vary). I woke up in my bed and everything around me was shaking, banging, falling and breaking. I could hear a woman screaming and people shouting. Scary! But we made it through, by the grace of God.
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linda what type of earthquake hit in the year 62
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I’m sorry, I don’t know the answer to your question. God bless you.
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what comes before 100
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1 through 99. I’m glad I know the answer to that question. How are you today?
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Mitch a story in my new book is called Never a Straight Line as most things in life from medical to careers to relationships rarely ever go in a straight line. Love your waves. I talk about plateaus along the way.
Brad
author of The People Zoo
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An important life lesson indeed, Brad.
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I love this post and all of the quotes—especially the Susan Casey.
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Gr8 pix and interesting quotes. The gr8 last quote is not among those that QuoteInvestigator has looked into. While the attribution that jumped out from Google’s results is to Jon Kabat-Zinn, it’s no surprise that there are others.
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Good to know. I found the quote under several different names online, Kabat-Zinn being one of them. Goodreads posted it under his name and another writer’s, as well.
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Love the pictures – and the last quote is a winner.
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(“Unknown” is one of my favorite philosophers. 😉 )
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;>) It’s most often credited to Jon Kabat-Zinn (see Response above from Mellow Curmudgeon), but also a few others, so I played it safe.
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I love the ocean waves. We have lived near them for the last 44 years. They have taught me much about the ebb and flow of life and their peace calms me. It is now a wrench to move to Austin TX away from the ocean but life has brought us to that place and God has showed us that it is the right path. I will miss the waves but will visit often and carry their story with me.
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“…will visit often and carry their story with me.” Love the way you put that.
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They do make for very pretty pictures….very annoying life-forces though.
I guess my hate of the sea translates on to fighting the waves of life, too 🤭🤐
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I love the power of the waves.
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Some examples of God’s handiwork I never knew existed. Frozen waves. Sand blown into undulating curves. Clouds that look like waves. Thank you for collecting this spell-binding photos, Mitch. As for that last quote, I think it would make a good book title (or at least a subtitle)!
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It would, Nancy!
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I love the first two quotes in particular.
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What impressive pictures!! Love the Curtain Call one! The Tsunami one I just can’t imagine, so sad and scary! Never saw a volcano in a wave before!
The quotes are great as well, the last one has been a favorite of mine for awhile!
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Awe inspiring pictures of what the hand of God can do!!! WOW!
Julia
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Amazing shots. I loved the one of the wave at the light house. I see a man’s face as he looks defiantly out to sea.
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https://blindfaithministries.wordpress.com/tag/psalm-6939/
psalms 69:39
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Wow. This is beautiful! We he pictures are stunning, and the words are so true. It’s almost as if we have to be as flexible as the waves to withstand the changes of living in order to stand in the moment of time. Thank you for this beautiful piece.
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*The pictures (…a slip of the keyboard, and you have two new words instead of one. Lol!)
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Thank you…such a timely and poignant reminder for me…one that carries me straight into God’s arms. 💗
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So happy to hear that!
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I’m from Michigan and we have sand dunes up and down our Lake Michigan shoreline. One is a National Park and at least three of them are State Parks. When my family took a dune buggy ride several years ago, the driver/guide told us that if we took a ride on the same territory of the same dune a year from then, the dune would have a different face on which he’d be expected to travel. I think it’s kind of cool that he always kept in mind the way the dune would change so he could better navigate it and help us to enjoy the waves of the dune. It’s all about the journey.
Thanks for all the great pictures.
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A wonderful slide show!
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Powerful. Wonderful. Important. Thank you, Mitch!
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My pleasure, Jennie. I love putting these photoblog posts together.
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They are a feast for the eyes and the soul, Mitch!
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I especially like that last quote! That’s what life feels like these days…we’re just learning to surf!
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It does indeed, Ann!
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…and then there are brainwaves, EKG/ECG waves, soundwaves…. and hello/goodbye waves…
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https://elomelopost.wordpress.com/2020/12/08/move-on/
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