I have felt inspired recently. I realized that I developed a romance.. an affair if you will. She is my mistress but she is dying. Riddled with a cancer and I am powerless to help; all I can do is document this slow death when I can visit her. It makes me wish I had met her at least before the cancer set in but I'm very late; too late. She has probably had many suitors before and I cannot blame her for having them. There will probably be more like her but I do not know if that will be in my life time or not. I hope so.

I cannot say I "discovered" her but we met about a year ago. When first we met I felt sorry and remained distant. Seeing her again this year I realized she is my girl, we just never had any time together; save a couple of absolutely gorgeous days on the beach. But then, that's where she lives. She is a beach. In fact, a beach off South Carolina and she has a forest slowly dying off as the coast shifts and trees die back. Given we are talking about an island, honestly, the forest is doomed either way. Even as she dies back and her forest goes with her, she still offers haunting beauty, solitude, and moments of just, "yeah". 

Unfortunately, the hurricane season of 2017 really took a toll on her and while she is still there in body her compliments of trees were just devastated. I could only find one dead tree still standing on the north side and I suspect (while I have not been there) the island's south side fared much worse. If you ever find yourself along coastal South Carolina, go to Hunting Island and pay your respects to a natural diva. She'll appreciate and love you back, even if it isn't obvious in the moment. You'll know it later when you remember her. I promise.

P.S. - she's worth a weekend affair. ;-)

The Sand SerpentThe root of an old maritime forest tree snakes its way through the sand; resembling an ancient sea serpent of folklore.