Anastasia State Park
Photographs taken: 1-10-2023
Observing a Great Egret is one of the many things I found myself doing on my birthday.
While exploring Anastasia State Park I happened to notice a beautiful white bird standing in a pond next to the road. I pulled the vehicle over, swapped to my telephoto lens and snuck up as closely as I could without disturbing this creature. He stands elegantly patient, waiting to strike at his next meal; content in his own being and committed to every move. It was 15-25 minutes I hung out with this animal learning from it and taking in its magnificence. Towards the end of our time together I thought to myself, what a gift. Then I got in my car, and drove to the beach.
On the beach is where I ended up having a pleasant conversation with a guy from New York. A spiritual contract one might call it or divine intervention, right there on the beach. A conversation with the ambiance of waves crashing in the distance, seagulls squawking, and shuffling in the sand of the occasional bystander. In short, the exchange of words were based around, “enjoying life for what it is, here and now, and basking in the beauty of nature.”
"Write out where you want to go in life and do what it takes to go there…”
– Wise words from a friend on the beach.
This is all we need, and love for each other. He gave me some parting words of wisdom, "Write out where you want to go in life and do what it takes to go there. Just like when you want to drive somewhere, what do you do? Find it on a map and head that direction." I snapped a picture of him and then we went on our separate ways.
