Leymis Bolanos – Sarasota, FL

Driving through Bradenton with the Manatee River to my north and the Gulf of Mexico to the west, I’m reminded how deeply water surrounds my life. It’s not enough to simply see it—I feel called to enter it, to let the salt rest on my skin and remember who I am.

Growing up, the ocean shaped our family rhythms. Every March meant long Saturdays at the beach along the Atlantic Ocean arriving at midday, staying until moonlight shimmered on the waves. We cooked, danced salsa barefoot in the sand, and built community with other families. The water became a place of laughter, gathering, rest, and belonging.

Now, as a mother, the ocean carries even deeper meaning. My daughter loves to swim, and I welcomed her into the world through water. To me, water is life-giving and renewing—an invitation to beauty, healing, and connection.

This past summer, we lost my cousin Ricky shy of 21 while he was free diving. So the ocean now holds both joy and grief. When I stand at its edge, I think of him—fearless, doing what he loved. Water has become a place of memory and mystery for me, a reminder of both life and eternity.