I did not know what to expect. I had not been to the beach in such a long time. I was fascinated by it as a little kid, but the sound of a trip to the beach was not too inviting since I had gotten older. I had grown to think that it was polluted and boring. This time, however, I was arriving to Galveston with a specific goal in mind. My goal was to observe the beach in a different way. I wanted to experience it with the theme of unity consciousness in mind. By recognizing the atmosphere as a part of the web of mutual interdependency that is the ecosystem, I gained not only a topic for this project, but a sense of wonder and beauty similar to what I experienced there as a child. As my friend, Felecia, and I looked for a place to park, we could see the ocean in the distance. The scene was very unappealing. I would expect a view of the ocean to be a captivating one anywhere but in Galveston. The water was a dark murky gray tone. As the waves sprang forward from the horizon, they seemed to consist entirely of mud. They matched perfectly with the area’s usual dismal sky. The people walking along the sidewalk, however, seemed to be having a good time. So, I was optimistic. We walked from the car and onto the busy sidewalk. Dodging the people on roller blades and bikes, we made our way down to the sand. It was a devastating sight because there was a lot of trash there. Cigarette butts were the most abundant. It seemed almost like a giant ashtray. Much less trash was present nearer to the waves. Heading toward them, we looked for a clean spot to sit down in. I spread my towel out on the ground. Lying on my stomach, I ran my toes through the sand and began to take in the atmosphere. I looked out at the vast ocean. The waves sprang towards me. They brought such a wonderful breeze with them. I then looked to the sky and thought of the moon pulling them my way. I noticed the many people around me. Keeping a unity conscious mind, I thought of the way in which all of these elements affect one another, and how we are all part of the same system. I do not know what any of this is or where it comes from. I began to think of something that someone, I do not remember who, once said. “ Nothing is ever born or ever dies.” When I die my body will still be here. I will decompose and my organic matter will sink into the soil. Perhaps, it will aid the life of a blade of grass. This idea leads me to see the ocean and everything that exists as a part of myself. This may sound crazy to some, but being in this state of mind, as Synder says in “Wild Mind”, “ is the best way to write. To live, too.” It helps me to see that this place, much like Waller Creek, has a lot to offer despite the sad fact that it is ridden with litter. The place no longer seems boring, but instead it offers an overwhelming sense of wonder. I examined the sand. So many tiny grains, more than I could ever possibly count, are contained in just a small hand full. A closer look reveals the different tones of the individual grains. There were glistening tan ones and black ones. It was not long before I had the urge to draw in the moist earth with my index finger. Felecia soon joined in. We spent a lot of time doing this. Creating a lot of silly doodles, I felt a little like a small child again. Our next step was to make sandcastles. I used a cup from Taco Bell to make my towers. They were not very pretty or stable, but it was still a lot of fun. Afterwards, we had sand all over us. Logically, we decided to check out the water and rinse it off. As we walked toward the ocean, we noticed a lot of seashells. Many were broken because the local shops grab most of the whole ones to sell in their stores. They were still so beautiful, however, that we temporarily forgot about washing off the sand and began collecting many of them. They were very diverse. There were pink, blue, and purple ones. Some were smooth, yet others were rough. There were also many shapes and sizes. As I walked along the shore, holding a tiny shell in my hand, I contemplated the mystery of time. How old was this shell? The ocean has existed much longer than can ever be conceived of in my human mind. Life evolved from the water so long ago, and humans have been here for such a short time. What a mystery it all is. Eventually, we stopped collecting shells and remembered our former plan of heading for the water. As I approached, small waves tumbled toward me and sent a chill over the tops of my bare feet. Felecia and I looked at each other. We were both thinking that the water was just too cold, but I decided to venture further anyhow. As the water got deeper, my body felt frozen. It soon wore off, however, and the ocean strangely began to feel very warm. Playing in the waves, I noticed how much more beautiful they were up close. They did not seem like a part of the same gray mass that I viewed from a distance earlier. They seemed so inviting and pure. I watched the way that two waves collide with one another to form one. Their sounds created one of nature’s most soothing symphonies. I envisioned the many molecules dancing around my body. I looked toward the horizon where the ocean seems to disappear. I wondered at its vast size. It is so far and wide. It is so deep. Giant squid live farther down than humans are equipped to travel. They have been seen only upon death because their bodies float to the top. What else could be hiding out there along the bottom of the ocean floor? I began to feel so curious as I swam around. It was so much fun that I hated to leave the water, but it was about time for us to leave. So, I regretfully decided to head back to the shore. As I walked toward the towels, I saw my friend already there and waiting for me. I sat down to join her. After relaxing there for a few moments, Felecia directed my attention to two little birds that were running along the coast. Laughing, she pointed out how funny their tiny black legs appeared as they moved back and forth in such a rapid fashion. It made me smile. They were very cute. Their color was a silvery gray and white with what looked like black highlights on their wing and neck feathers. They were much smaller and fewer in number than the many Seagulls. I wondered if the situation here with the Seagulls was anything similar to the Pigeons in other places that compete so well with the other birds that they are virtually wiping the other species out by rendering them endangered or extinct. I do not like that thought. I believe that diversity is important. Nevertheless, I still found the Seagulls to be lovely birds. They had long slender beaks, white bodies, black heads, and radiant red markings on the sides of their faces. As one flew overhead, I decided to toss up a snack, a cool ranch flavored Dorito. The bird actually caught it. It excitedly flew much closer. Suddenly, a large flock of birds began to surround us. Where they all came from I do not know, but there were so very many! They were on the ground all around us. Ones that flew a few feet about the ground also surrounded us. They were very close. In fact, Felecia found them to be a little too close for comfort. She was such a coward as she scolded me for attracting our guests and ran away towards the car. She had watched too many episodes of “When Animals Attack”, and was overreacting. So, I kept on feeding my friends and enjoying their beautiful calls. They made such sweet noises. As the crowd accumulated, however, the noises compiled into a very loud squawking mess. I thought of the evolution of reptiles to birds and eventually the creation of human beings. I felt my connection with these and all creatures. I thought about this until I ran out of Doritos. Since I was done, I decided to go find Felecia and make her come back. The birds continued to follow me halfway to the car, but, luckily for her, they eventually left me alone. I found the angry Felecia waiting at the car. I had a good time laughing at her. Together, we traveled back to the shore to gather our belongings. As we were leaving, I saw a young boy and his mother heading towards the waves. I recognized the look on the toddler’s face. It was full of excitement and wonder. It was as if he was reflecting my own feelings back to me. The ocean was new and unknown territory for this child. As people get older, the novelty wears off unless they remember what a mystery it is, and the way that they really do not know what anything is or where it comes from even if they believe in a God or Goddess. I usually do not hold a trip to the beach with the high regards that I did when I was younger. This time, however, I arrived with the goal of reflecting upon it with a theme of unity consciousness. It proved to be a rewarding adventure. I found a topic for this project, but, equally important, I saw the beach in an enlightened manner that enabled me to once more experience the fascination and beauty that I associated with it as a child. I enjoyed it so much that I can’t wait for the next time.