The two pictures below were taken at the time of, and morning after an upsetting altercation of sorts with a family member. In the top picture, we had been eating here in San Francisco at a restaurant located near the bay, and I needed to leave the restaurant for a few minutes to collect myself and take in what had just happened. Luckily for me, this city has many beautiful places to admire nature in a peaceful setting, and this particular location was one of them. It was around seven o'clock in the evening, and the warmth of the day was quickly giving way as the wind propelled fog swept in through the golden gate. There is still something almost magical to me about watching the marine layer form in the sky here, even after seeing it for more than nine years. To me, there is little that can equal it for being, well, so organic.
When the bottom picture was taken, I was taking my morning walk, still upset and unsure of exactly what had happened the evening before, and what my part in it was. I often times berate myself and feel guilty for things which I am not responsible, and when it comes to family matters, this can be especially tricky. As I walked, the exercise and beauty of the place helped me get back to a more peaceful, neutral place, at which point I saw the slug below. Seeing small things that are alive helps me to focus, and the very act of looking closely at things often puts me in a kind of meditative state.
Beautiful, natural things have for years allowed me to better remember what I find truly important, and I try to put myself in these places as often as I can. Often, being in these environments is a kind of preemptive strike against feeling distraught at later times; sometimes, it's the specific cure.
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