Central Theme: The Ocean as Memory

Read the following excerpt from a contemporary novel:

Amelia always felt a strange connection to the ocean. Every summer, she would return to her childhood home by the shore, where the waves whispered forgotten stories. As she walked along the beach, she noticed how the sand shifted beneath her feet, mirroring the changes in her life. Friends from school had scattered across the country, each leading their own life, but the memories they made lingered like the scent of salt in the air. This summer, as she stared out at the horizon, Amelia pondered her future. Would she follow the tide of her dreams, or let the current of expectations sweep her away?