You Don't Form in the Wet Sand

Tonight, en route to navigating my itunes towards a song about Wooden Ships sailing upon the water free and easy, I discovered a track I never knew existed in my library- Wet Sand by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This is the type of song that strikes me because of my personal history with the band and the circumstances that lead me to discover it by doing a quick search of song titles on a loved one's iPod. I had heard the song before, and recognized it once it came on, but for some reason the title (and why I chose it) stuck with me.

Wet sand is something that has been a very commonplace element in my life growing up. No matter what my reasons for visiting the beach were, I would always find myself drawn to the shoreline to revel in the wet sand. I loved the way it felt beneath my toes. I distinctly remember key times in life by how I chose to spend my time there, where the ocean meets the sand. At my youngest stage all I thought about was digging holes and catching crabs in the holes I had dug with my hands and feet.  That soon lead to fantastic creations of intricate labryinthian pattersn carving their way through the semi-solid sad, just out of harms why from the breaking waves. When I got older I would dig my feet in as far as I possibly could and try to escape before being sucked in to the remarkably quicksandy mixture. As I began to reach my more formative years, I would find myself choosing to use this area as a palette... My preference is when the sand is hard enough to run through with shoes without creating a big mess, but you still have the ability to draw temporary lines and figures with your toes in it, if you so choose. this consistency creates a perfect medium for all intentions in that instant. I am able to draw thick, undeterred lines through the sand and if I ever make a mistake or am not pleased with what I have created, all it takes is a quick dash to another end of the beach to discover more untouched sand or the help of a small wave passing through. No mistakes are ever permanent.

I guess I can see why they say that it is hard for one to form themselves amidst the wet sand. It's a good jumping off point for brainstorming and getting ideas out into the open- but it is never permanent. In order to create any sense of permanence or concrete action, you must take some of what you find in wet sand and bring it over to the dry stuff to create a more solid foundation.

At this moment, I am not quite sure if I am ready to take my leave from this part of the beach just yet. But then again, there is nothing to fear as I will always come back. In any case, I am proud of the fact that I am the type of person that will always crave for those walks along the ocean's roar for guidance and clarity even when the ground beneath me is solid. As far as I'm concerned, formation is just the half of it. 

Background Music: (obvi) Wet Sand - RHCP