Musings: Setting Things Right

Awoke in a sort of funk this morning: too much time tuned into the computer lately, and immersed in the cares of the world.

But I know the antidote to that poison, so Koko and I headed out for a nice long walk on the beach. Unencumbered by leash, she was the epitome of exuberance, running fast laps around a jogger just to show him how it was done.

I focused on the bird tracks instead of the trash — though I couldn’t help but stuff my pockets with the lighters and plastic bags that are proven marine life killers — and happened upon a dead black and white boobie in the sand, its neck limp, eyes already claimed by the crabs.

Apples, both yellow and bruised and red and perfect, dotted the high tide line at random intervals, causing me to wonder how so many of them wound up here.

The wind was brisk, but not unfriendly, and the wet sand was warm under my bare feet.

I passed the remnants of a beach party: half-burned pallet, half-buried in sand; beer bottles, half-melted; a pair of abandoned rubber slippers, too big for me.

The sun rose, and the clouds with it, obscuring it, but not its rays, which at first shot upward, pink, and then on all sides, silver. Just as I was about to leave the water’s edge, it broke free briefly and shone on the sea, blinding me in a shimmering sparkle.

The clouds descended and I recovered my sight, emptied my gritty pockets, rinsed my sandy feet. Koko put her head forward to accept the noose of the leash and we walked back to the car.

All may not be right with the world, but for now, all is right in my world.

I hope all is well on Maui, where folks are gathering today to express their displeasure with the Superferry’s arrival. I got emails stating that a group of young attorneys will be there to bear witness and observe, and reportedly Kauai cops are flying over to do the same, in anticipation of the boat one day returning here.

It’s the first time the super security zone will be enforced, so let’s hope the guys with the guns stay cool.

I can’t help but think of all the time, energy and money that’s being expended to expose and rectify the state and Superferry wrongs, when the whole thing could have been done right from the start.

Cruised by the demonstration against Gov. Lingle’s address to the Humane Society yesterday. I was on deadline — the story of my life — so couldn’t linger, but wanted to get a sense of things. The crowd wasn’t large, but the message was strong: “Kill any whales lately?” one banner read (or maybe it was slaughter; I knew I should have written it down. But you get the gist).

“Seen any whales lately?” would have been a better question. It’s easy to kill when you’re signing executive orders in your office — just ask Dick Cheney and President Bush — but when you actually get outside and look at stuff, your perspective can’t help but change.

At least, it always works for me, and I highly recommend it.