Shooting Bub

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“Look at the dolphins David!”, I say, watching them splash about, contained within their tiny pool; a tiny divide separating them from freedom. I push my feet into the sand, feeling the sand and water consume and slowly drag them into the ground. “Be careful David, don't get too close or you'll fall in... and give me your hat, or you'll lose it!”. Children are such a handful these days, and it doesn't help that I’m no good with kids. I take the hat from his hands, and place it under my arm.

 

I take a look around, looking for some nice things to capture with my new camera. The scenery is amazing, it's not too often that I get to visit the beach, to feel that strong sea breeze surrounding me, rustling my red dress. I lift my camera up and point it toward the large rocks sitting comfortably nearby and take a few shots. “Come David, it's time to go”, I say as I take his hand and we begin to walk down away from the dolphin enclosure.

 

We walk along the shoreline, I enjoy the sights and sounds and begin to take a few more pictures as David kicks and splashes in the water game enough to come on land. I lift my camera to eye level, and take glancing snapshots of the distant objects. In particular I am drawn to the massive jagged rock formations in the distance, a danger to all who pass by, guarded by a vigilant watchful lighthouse that sits atop and subjugates the rocks to it's control. I take a few shots of this guardian of the beach, but the sun sits too low, the rays penetrate my camera, blinding it from the beauty of the lighthouse.

 

I look back to check on David, when I find the kind of beauty the lighthouse sits to protect. I see David, dancing with the tide up and down the beach. He chases the tide out to sea, only to have the tide chase him back up the beach seconds later, like night chases day. He has the largest grin on his face, laughing loud without a care in the world, ah how sweet it is to be a child. Without this beauty hidden within humanity there would be no reason for the lighthouse up ahead to exist. What better reason do we have for protecting people from danger than the preservation of beauty in all it's forms? I take a few more snapshots, and call to David to hurry on his way.

 

We walk until we reach the car park, far away from the beauty of the dolphins, the lighthouse, the sand and water. Back to the mundane, back to the dreary sheltered existence of modern life. I open the door to the car, and instruct David to climb in. I throw his hat to him, and look back at the distant beauty and take one last fleeting photo of the beach, and the lighthouse.