As we head into the unofficial start of summer, it's an excellent time for reflection given the global circumstances of the last ~3 months due to both COVID-19 and how the US government is behaving (like a banana republic).

Typically, this weekend would be a joyous occasion as we all get ready to embrace the arrival of summer and some quality beach time, even Dr. Beach announced his top 10 beach list, but this year we are all somewhat tentative given what's been happening globally with the coronavirus pandemic.  It's been a confusing time for everyone and the one place we can find still find some solace is the beach / ocean.  And if anyone is looking for a deeper dive on why that is the case, I would suggest reading Blue Mind by Dr. Wallace J. Nichols.

Usually our focus is strictly on beaches, whether on the ocean, a lake, pond or river, and the ocean, but what's been more concerning than the pandemic is how the United States government has been responding to it.  Here is a list of missteps the current US administration has made, and I know I am being generous when I use the word missteps, but what is so shocking is that such a sizable portion of this country is being duped into believing the misinformation that is being spread.  All I can say is we as a nation are better than this and can do far better than we have been over the last several months and years.  Please consider this as we prepare for the most important Presidential election in our lifetimes this November.

While I wanted to use a picture I took of my local beach, Sunset Beach, for this blog post, it's been a great relief to be able to visit there once a week for the last 8 / 9 weeks even when it's raining, a sunset sends the wrong message because many of us are undergoing a great awakening due to what has happened over the last few months (and I used a picture of Sunset Beach on my last post).  As such, I thought it was relevant to highlight an image from Cadillac Mountain on Mt. Desert Island in Maine as this is generally recognized as where the sunrise first shines on the US.  And having visited both, Cadillac Mountain and Sunset Beach, I highly recommend each for people who love the beach.

Now more than I can ever remember, we need to think of the day as just starting and not at it's end because there is a tremendous amount of work to be done to course correct in this country.  So hopefully this Memorial Day is the start of that course correcting as we prepare ourselves for the upcoming UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and may everyone be able to spend time at their favorite beach this weekend.  Best wishes and stay safe.