Venice Beach
I’ve been going for a run on the beach almost every other
day for the past few years here in Venice. Today was one of the top five beach
days I’ve had here in terms of weather, stillness of the ocean, and notably
obvious synchronicities.
I have to set the stage. Remember this is November at 10am.
The sun was out and it was warm with subdued light and it’s actually supposed
to rain. I was wearing only swim trunks and I was comfortable if not warm. The beach
was freshly graded meaning there are no footprints or trash on the fluffy part
and it’s really neat to walk on. The water was gently lapping the sand. It’s
usually a washing machine out there. I only saw a few people and everyone was
unusually smiley. The air was still with a slight breeze. Just perfect.
I get a sharp sentimental pang. I’m moving away from this? It may be a long time before I
have another opportunity to play near the ocean everyday I if want.
I remind myself to shake it off, because moving to the ranch in Northern AZ is a no brainer. I can hardly sleep from the excitement of
it.
Ok, back to the moment. I walk past the lifeguard tower and onto
the harder packed wet sand to begin my run. I take a few steps toward the pier
and a mini wave rushes up the beach and deposits a tumbleweed directly in my
path. Of all the times I’ve been out there I have never ever noticed a
tumbleweed.
I look around to see if anybody else is seeing this and go
up to inspect it and sure enough it’s a tumbleweed. I just start laughing.
Tumbleweeds abound at the ranch. Digging up tumbleweeds
and burning them will be one of my major chores out there.
It was as if the ocean was saying, “You are going to leave
all this for tumbleweeds?”
I go on my run. The ocean and the ocean birds and other
critters are putting on their best show. I'm amazed at how little trash there is. They dont grade where the ocean meets the sand. There has
been an upsetting amount of trash on the beach lately due to the extreme high
and low tides of the season. I reach the breakwater where I usually stop and
touch a certain rock with my foot to say that I made it and catch my breath. As
I turn around a much older and very voluptuous woman is fast paced walking
towards me. She has her exercise jacket pulled up above her breasts to cool off
exposing large swinging bosoms and a wiggly belly. The undershirt she is
wearing is the color of her skin and completely see through. I will leave it to
your imagination as to what my first thought might have been. The little voice
in my head said, “Mother”. I am thinking of the archetypal mother—Not
necessarily my mother, but mother in
the general sense. I started to run past her and back towards the pier
analyzing and wondering about my experiences with the tumbleweed, the Mother, and
my connection with the ocean.
As I get about half way I notice that the waves
are getting bigger as the tide is coming in giving the ocean the endlessly chaotic
vibe that I’m used to. Just like that! A big wave pops up out of nowhere and
rushes up the leg of my trunks depositing a pristine white baby bottle full of
milk directly at my feet. I see what’s going on. I stop to acknowledge the
ocean and offer my gratitude and thanks for her protection while Jana and I
have been living and playing here at her beach.
From where I am stopped gazing
out to the horizon I see another sight I had yet to see on this stretch of the
beach. Out on the water and really close are dozens of California Sea lions porpoising
and frolicking in the water. It looked really playful as if they were doing it for
the shear joy of it all. Most likely, considering the amount of sea birds
around them they were probably hunting fish, but it was still quite a timeless
and beautiful performance to behold. Every single time I have gone out to the
ocean it has been dynamic and awe inspiring in some way, and on days like today—a learning experience. Thank you Mother Ocean.
 |
| Structure fire for AZ DECOM 2010 at the ranch. The effigy was filled with tumbleweeds. Notice the huge pile of tumbleweeds on the right. |
