This has led me to wonder what parts of the set to my life’s stage would just boggle another human’s mind. What about my daily experience would be fascinating to someone else ...
J. McKay / Have you ever found yourself surprised that not everyone in the world has had the same experiences as you have had? For example, I spent last week at the beach. The ocean is fascinating to me as I’ve spent 92% of my life in a landlocked desert. I almost have a hard time believing that the oceans of the world are actually always ‘turned on. If someone told me that when I’m not standing on the beach the ocean is static and a single hue of blue like it is on maps and then like turning on a Jacuzzi tub, someone turns it on when they see my car rolling towards it, a part of my brain would say, ‘Oh now that makes more sense’. So as I was considering my own poorly formed conception of the ocean, I wondered what it would be like to have always had it within walking distance. Can someone grow up with something so grand always present in the background and still find it majestic or appreciate it with the same intensity of someone who’s lived a life time without it? Interestingly enough, there was someone in our group that was seeing the ocean in person for the first time. This is a grown-up person. Now even though I would certainly classify myself as an oceanic newbie, I at least have had several first person experiences with it. Don’t you beach bums find it fascinating that there are people [and I would imagine a shocking number of them] whose mortal experience is void of the sensations of a day at the beach? Isn’t that just wild? The crash of the waves, the pull of the receding water, the saltiness of a unexpected mouthful of seawater, the vastness of an unimpeded horizon line, the list that they are missing out on goes on. It honestly makes me want to start a non-profit group called Day at the Beach. I’ll drive a bus throughout the 32 states that don’t border an ocean picking up the nation’s ‘land lubbers’. |
Reflection Points 
We’d drive through the night, drop them off at the beach at sunrise with a bottle of Coppertone, a cooler, towels, and flip flops and pick them up at just as the sun sets. I’d greet their sandy, sunburned selves with a knowing nod that says, ‘I can’t believe it’s always been here either.’ I’d probably chip in a ‘We hope you had a memorable day. We’d stay another night but it’s closed tomorrow for cleaning.’ just because I can be cruel like that.
This has led me to wonder what parts of the set to my life’s stage would just boggle another human’s mind. What about my daily experience would be fascinating to someone? Also, what threads still need to be added to the loom of my life’s experience? I realize I couldn’t and likely wouldn’t want to add them all even if given the choice, but there are some like bobbing in the ocean that are worth any length to acquire. |
