Sand

My first reactions to getting sand in my shoes are frustration and annoyance. The small grains rub against my socks and soles and the rough abrasion slices at me. After a moment though, when I've knocked as much sand out of my shoes as I can, I feel a twinge of nostalgia. I can feel the stinging pain of splinters digging into my ankles from playgrounds past. I can smell the rough metallic scent of the jungle-gym and monkey-bars. Everything becomes taller and louder and free. I see everything as if it were new and question the world, its existence. How strange it is that something so small and tedious can bring such feelings of anxiety and hope all at once.

Location: Golden Gate Park play ground, SF, CA, U.S.A.

Photo Location: Baker Beach, SF, CA, U.S.A.