Imagine standing at the edge of the sea at dawn, toes sinking into cool, damp sand. The horizon glows with that first wash of pink light, and somewhere—miles away—a sound you can’t quite hear rolls through your chest. A low, steady hum. A story told in the oldest language on Earth. A whale is speaking.
And, if whales wrote books, I suspect they’d be better storytellers than we are.
Today is World Whale and Dolphin Day, and while conservation is the heart of this celebration, I want to ask something different of you—not to save them, but to listen to them, to learn what the ocean’s greatest storytellers can teach us about how to live, connect, and tell better stories ourselves.
Whales: The Poets of Patience
A blue whale’s song can stretch for hundreds of miles and last for hours. Some of those songs follow repeating patterns for decades—passing like legends between generations. They aren’t rushed. They aren’t desperate to be heard over the noise.
Whales know what we writers often forget: pacing is everything. They pause between notes for long stretches of silence, letting the ocean carry their story farther than a frantic rush of words ever could.
If whales wrote books, they would teach us that silence is as important as speech. The spaces between our words—those quiet moments of reflection—give the story room to breathe.
Dolphins: The Masters of Collaboration
If whales are poets, dolphins are the lively short-story writers, crafting tales together in clicks and whistles. Scientists have recorded dolphins calling to one another by name and even collaborating on playful tricks, almost like children co-authoring a picture book with squeals of delight.
Their greatest lesson? Good stories are meant to be shared. Dolphins don’t keep their best techniques to themselves—they teach, play, and build entire cultural traditions. Maybe that’s what we humans need more of: stories created not in isolation, but in connection—with the people, and yes, the planet, around us.
The Oldest Library on Earth
Picture it: an entire library carried in song, deep below the surface. Some whales sing differently depending on the year, changing tunes like authors revising drafts, leaving clues in the water for others to interpret. Their voices hold memories of migration paths, food sources, and dangers—like history books passed from grandmother to calf.
If whales wrote books, they’d remind us that every story is an act of preservation. Every time we write down a family recipe, a childhood memory, or a folk tale, we are doing what they do—keeping something alive for the next generation.
A Call to Listen
So today, celebrate World Whale and Dolphin Day not just by reading about them, but by honoring their greatest gift: listening.
Take a walk to the nearest water—be it a river, a lake, or even a puddle after a summer storm—and imagine waiting for a whale to finish its sentence. Slow down. Be still. Because in listening, we learn why they’re worth saving in the first place.
The ocean has been telling stories far longer than we have. And maybe, if we paid closer attention, our own stories—on the page, and in our lives—might get a little closer to the truth.
Want to Help Protect the Ocean’s Greatest Storytellers?
Support ethical whale-watching tours that respect safe distances.
Turn down the volume—ocean noise pollution disrupts their songs; even choosing quieter boating practices matters.
Reduce plastic waste that chokes their waters.
Learn more through organizations like the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
Because every time we protect their voices, we protect a story worth hearing.