Knot Unwinding

What in some places would be a hiking trail, and at that, one very much in need of repair, here the locals considered a road.

I had to choose the lesser of two risks. Leave the car unattended on the side of the road, with my belongings exposed, or brave the low clearance of the rental car against the deep ruts of the washed-out trail.

I chose the side of the road.

I imagined replacing my belongings less risky and time-consuming then replacing an axil.

Even on foot, the rest of the way down the road to the secluded beach was a tricky dance. The steep ravine on either side left no choice but to try and remain steady while I walked down an incline with mud as slick as soap. Slow breathing and a little unintended sliding got me there, eventually. And soon nothing but a few sorted trees and a strip of sand stood between me and the surf.

I shed my clothes down to my bathing suit and jumped into the warm and salty Pacific, floating above the rip current, rising and falling with the tide creeping in. And I arrived at “now.” No thought of what just was and no planning ahead, just there and now, floating. Letting the tide carry me. I remembered to forget the rest, and the moment of bliss reminded me of eternity.

When I finally did come back to dry ground, I was in an altered state from how I arrived. I was focused on the fresh smells, the potent sounds, the taste of the ocean on my tongue, the embrace of feet mixing with sand, and the sight of ocean and jungle meeting.

And that’s when it caught my eye.

There, in front of me, was a tree and vine in such a knotted combination that, at first, I couldn’t exactly tell which was which. I’m not just speaking of one curling around the other in order to boost itself closer to the sun. I am talking about over and around and through and knotted with so many twists and turns it was confounding to consider how all this had occurred.

It all felt too familiar somehow.

My thoughts sometimes, my worries, can get so wrapped around and under in my mind that I forget which way is up. This little beach excursion was indeed a remedy for exactly that just having happened.

Then something else dawned on me.

How beautiful this twisted combination of plant and parasite were. How symbiotic. The very contrast of their twisting complexity to the other tall trees and less enigmatic vines made them stand out. What made them macabre, also somehow made them unique and beautiful.

I made it back to my car without incident, everything still intact, a little more appreciative of the complex moments of drama that brought me to the beach and bliss.