Boketto

In times of stress, I overthink things. I turn down emotion and logically work through all the future outcomes. Thinking through the implications of my potential decisions. Worry, but with efficacy. If only I think more, plan more, work harder, then things will be okay. To slow my hurried thoughts, I turn to nature. I walk on the beach, sit in the sand, and notice the emotions I’ve suppressed — letting the power of the ocean bring mental clarity and emotional calm.

I listen to the rhythmic undulation of the waves as they crash on the shore and filter through pebbles and sand to return and break again. I taste the salt on my lips that has blown from the surface of the sea and drifted to my face on the breeze. I smell the seaweed, which in low tide has been sundried and is beginning to turn. Taking a deep breath to fill my lungs with their glorious scent, I notice the lingering acrid smell of a distant beach fire. The driftwood fuel saltwater-logged and nutrient-dense. I feel the cool, wet sand under my legs and the gentle wind blowing in my face. Clearing and calming my mind.

I photograph these scenes with long exposures in order to blur their details. To clear my head and let go of my focus. To gaze into the distance without a thought.