Trips to the west side of our island are like travels to a different land.

We live north. Wet, lush, green. Cross west and it’s dry, hot and red.

On this particular excursion – Jeb, the Bohemian and I – we slow down the day in observation mode. Break out of the routine. In our unfamiliar environment, we get fresh perspectives.

We see parachuters spiraling in the sky. Watch 20 skateboarding teenagers take over an entire street with ollies. The Bohemian gives blood.

We just miss the chaos of a store-wide evacuation when a fire breaks out near a local big-box store. (Newspaper reports claim that shoppers were still trying to purchase their merchandise as the flames came within 100 feet of the building).

We discover a used book store with countless stacks to peruse for days. We even drive past a cemetery and see diggers lining the new grave with palm fronds in preparation for a coffin.

We stop by a beach that, long ago, was once a dump site. Red dirt and black sand.  The beach still bears the garbage. Rusting metal and the tiniest shards of glass. Just aross the dirt road is the Japanese cemetery overgrown with weeds.

It’s good to be reminded. These days spiraling out, moment by moment. How do we want to live them? How many moments do we get? How do we want to leave our mark, if we want to leave one at all?

Today I’m thinking tread lightly. Live deeply. Be grateful….And share the Love.