Opening minds and hearts.

This story begins as a joyous one, but don't be so quick to think it will stay that way, as just like the waves of the sea there will be ups and downs.

I was 5 years old when I first approached the ocean and took in all her glory. I breathed in the salt air and felt purpose and desire. I fell deeply in love with the ocean upon first meet and wouldn't change it for the world.

Every weekend I'd beg my parents to take me to the ocean. I never wanted to stay on the beach and build sandcastles, I only ever wanted to be encased in the arms of the big blue. I felt most safe when emerged within. There is just something so incredibly comforting about the ocean that I can't quite make out the correct and most sufficiently descriptive words for, and yet I believe you understand exactly what I am referring to.

For my 10th birthday my parents took me on a Dolphin Cruise. It was a small boat that seemed to not disturb the creatures below and to the sides, which was very important to me. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. We saw at least 10 dolphins, which my mom said was a sign as it was my 10th birthday.. I didn't agree with that, but I still smiled when she said it. The ocean looked so peaceful, and my favourite part was when out of nowhere we saw my absolute favourite creature, a blue whale. The sight of such a magnificent creature was incomparable to anything I'd ever witnessed before. I was enchanted. I could not comprehend that I was a mere 100 metres away from such a powerful being. Shortly after that the boat driver received a message over two-way to return to shore as a shark was sighted near by. I froze in my seat. I was terrified. I did not like sharks, and it seemed that was the case for everyone else on the boat as the passengers started getting frantic. The boat driver tried to calm everyone, reassuring us that we were safe and on our way back to land.

Later that day I overheard the news playing on the TV that my parents were watching. I heard the journalist reporting on a shark sighting, the same shark that interrupted my boat ride hours earlier. The journalist explained that the shark was followed by authorities, and killed. It was said that this particular shark had been tracked over a period of 3 years, with a pattern becoming apparent to authorities that the shark regularly came within 60 metres of land. Authorities reported that it was a safety risk to let the shark go free. Upon hearing this news I was relieved that I wouldn't have to worry about being attacked when in the ocean, I felt safer.

One day when I was 16 years old I was enjoying some quiet time to myself at my favourite place. I was walking over the large rocks by the sea, these rocks were often used as a platform to fish from, however that day there was no one fishing, the only people there was myself and a person I'd guess were in their 60s, with a grey beard, sitting on rocks about 20 metres ahead of me.

I continued walking over the rocks, enjoying the smell of the ocean and hoping to spot some whales and dolphins, maybe a seal if I was lucky.

As I got closer to the only other person around, I cut my foot on one of the rocks. The person exclaimed, "come here, I have band-aids".

I headed on over and sat beside them, I politely accepted the band-aid and thanked them. I stayed sitting there a while to rest my foot. I asked their name and they replied, "Wally".

Wally and I began to share our love of the ocean through stories. When I got to the story of when I was 10 on the dolphin cruise and how the shark was killed, Wally looked horrified. I didn't understand how that story could receive such a reaction.

Wally spoke with a sorrow tone, "That poor shark."

I, taken aback by this, replied, "But, the authorities listed the shark as dangerous."

Wally then explained, "That was the sharks home, not ours."

Me, astounded by this revelation, expressed, "I never thought about the fact that the ocean is the sharks home, but I still wouldn't be able to go to that particular beach if they let the shark free, as the shark often came near the shore."

Wally, trying to help me understand, said "Well bud, sometimes we don't get what we want, it's about necessity. Is it a necessity for you to swim in the ocean? no. But is the ocean a necessity for the shark? yes, as it's their home. Let me ask this, why do you love dolphins?"

I replied passionately, "That's easy, dolphins are intelligent creatures, they care for their young, have personalities and they are adorable."

Wally, replied with clear compassion in their voice, "Well sharks too are intelligent creatures, they too care for their young and they too have individual and unique personalities, as do all animals on earth great and small. Now for the adorable part, even if I didn't think a dog was cute, I wouldn't devalue it's worth of life on the basis that it's not visually appealing. If I thought you were hideous, I wouldn't then deem it okay to take your life."

Comprehending all that Wally was saying, I replied, "Wow, I really sound like a hypocrite, well, not just sound, but I honestly never thought about any of that before."

Wally, with a smile, reassured me by saying, "Look, knowledge is power, when we receive new information, that then is new information we can act on. Don't feel so bad, I once thought the way you did but when I dug deep and considered why I thought certain ways I realised that society influences so much in the world. Just because society grants some individuals moral consideration and others not, doesn't mean that is right or ethical. We all need to adjust our way of thinking when it comes to other sentient, conscious beings who possess a will to live and no desire for pain."

That conversation I had with Wally really opened up my eyes to the speceist way that I was thinking. Using deeper thought, just like Wally did, I realised just how ingrained into society the fear of sharks is and how unnecessary that fear was. And to kill them even though all they are really doing is swimming in their own home is abhorrent. I can firmly say that prior to meeting Wally that day I had never considered the sentience of sharks, yet I would rave on about other ocean life and how incredible they are. I may love the ocean and enjoy being amongst the waves, but the sharks actually need the ocean. It's their home not mine, how dare I ever again agree with murdering them for simply living in their home, just so I can swim in a portion of their waters and then return safely to my own home. Unlike them, I am unthreatened by the possibility of someone wanting to kill me simply so they can visit my residence for leisure.

I took this fresher perspective and set out into the world, geared with a gut wrenching ache that called for action. I felt that if I did not act on this, if I just let the words of Wally flow through me and dissipate, then did I really love the ocean and it's beings?

But I do! I really do love and appreciate the ocean and it's many eco systems, therefore it was time to show it.

Only days after speaking to Wally, I took to social media and found like-minded individuals who regularly protest the Government and other industries that exploit and harm animals. I joined an animal rights activist group who protested out the front of aquariums, and I signed as many petitions as I could.

My parent's didn't understand, they didn't agree with what I was doing. However, I'll never stop trying hard to have them understand that the same reason why I believe they deserve moral consideration, is the same reason why I believe all other beings do too. We all share the capacity to feel pain, feel love, express emotions, are conscious, are sentient, and have a will to live.

Now at age 24 I am a volunteer for a large not-for-profit organisation that seeks to have the Government provide rights to animals. Many people make jokes regarding animal rights, as if we are proposing to offer turtles and pigs the chance to get a drivers licence, or give them the right to vote. But all that we are asking is that animals have the basic right to not be harmed and exploited unnecessarily.

I am very passionate about the work I do, and over the past 8 years on this journey I've met incredible people who, like me, are invested in the wellbeing of humans, Earth and animals. I even met up with Wally, by chance, at a function that occurred 3 years ago. Wally was very impressed with the way I took on the information and ran with it. At that function I discovered that Wally is actually a Captain on one of the Green Peace ships, and has been for over 20 years. Wally and I kept in contact since that reunion 3 years ago, and we are currently working on a project together named 'Shark Survival' - a project with the intent of encouraging the protection of sharks worldwide.

If only I could have had someone explain to my 5 year old self, the 5 year old who saw the ocean for the first time, just how important all beings are and how they are all deserving of benevolence. I'm grateful though that I know now.

Knowledge is power, and with new information comes the opportunity to act.