Past the Horizon

I love being on the beach in Puerto Rico: sand, water, salt air, sun, the steady sound of waves. All my senses are engaged, and I can relax and wonder. The view is always changing, always familiar, and as old as the world itself.

How did humans ever work up the nerve to venture out to sea? A few years ago, I looked up how far the visible horizon is from where I stand on the beach. It depends on elevation, but about 2.3 miles is close enough.

Our ancestors didn’t have geometry. What they did have was movement, climbing, swimming, building canoes, fishing.

Change your elevation and you can see farther. The horizon isn’t a boundary; it’s the limit of what’s visible from where you stand. Shift your position and a different horizon comes into view.

Sometimes, working together lets us change our vantage point entirely. This isn’t about knowing what lies beyond a given horizon; it’s about changing our relationship to what’s out there. And despite how the world may look right now, there’s comfort in remembering that we still have the capacity to discover new horizons. Enjoy the view.