Here’s what I did
I walked across the lawn, over to the edge of a steep, wonky, and misshapen staircase
The staircase was constructed by an artist and it was a combination of alternating logs and beams pinned back with iron rebar vertical threads
The staircase was muddy, inconsistent in its depth and caused me to really pay attention
One false move, one slight miscalculation and it could spell disaster for a person my age
A sprained ankle, a slipped disc or a bruising tumble were all very real possibilities
I kept going
There was a 3-inch-thick nautical rope crucified to makeshift railings that lined the zip zaggy staircase to the beach
I was trying to enjoy the ride
My own feet moving me slowly through the thicket crowded with bamboo, blackberry thrash and crown of thorns
About halfway down I spotted a strange plastic box, a room of sorts
The room was constructed of driftwood logs, plexiglass and strange found objects that had washed up on the beach
I was really trying hard to enjoy myself
As I exited the jungle lounge, I noticed huge, stripped drift logs all piled and jumbled every which way; like a game of tossed pixy sticks, which one would I step over first?
I cannot smell a thing, not the mud, nor the sea-soaked wood and certainly not the ocean
As I begin to see pieces of litter, plastic, foam, and metal, I realize I’m at an internal crossroad of both disgust and wonder
I still don’t know what to expect
I’ve let go of the idea that I will enjoy myself and surrendered to the idea of experience
Five senses where are we going?
Now I am stable, now I cross over the last massive pile of drift logs onto dark black sand
The beach is presenting like 7-layer dip
Sticks, sand, shells, rocks, muck, mud then cloudy sea
Shades of grey, brown and murky black hug hundreds of miles of shoreline piled high with naked blonde timber
I’m starting to enjoy myself
I look down as I walk along the shore and discover thousands of small purple seashells scattered like glitter across the charcoal sand
Is it dark because of pollution?
What caused these purple trinkets?
At the water’s edge I see the most incredible eagle eye agates shimmering like gold in a miner’s dream