Sea Oats at Cocoa Beach
Sea oats flutter in the breeze at Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach, Florida, from our July 2024 Florida trip.
On most of our trips to Cocoa Beach, I take a sea oats photo. It has become a tradition. And if you think it is a strange tradition, that is because traditions are made to be strange. And besides, I don’t mind being strange.
And speaking of strange, I do wonder sometimes what people think when they pass by me as I take these sea oat photos. They probably say something like, “That guy is taking a picture of weeds!” But even if they do say it, that is okay, because I can handle it when people think I am strange. It has been happening all of my life.
Also, I always like having the beach as a background to these sea oats photos. After all, sea oats are at the sea, so the beach is a logical background. And maybe that background makes it all a little less strange. Not that I am too concerned.
Purpose
Do sea oats have a purpose? Do they just grow there and sway in the breeze? As it turns out, the plants help to prevent erosion of sand dunes which provide protection during storm surges, so they have a very important function. And in fact in many places the sea oats are even protected by law.
In the same way, sometimes we have difficulty seeing the purpose in others. But everyone has a purpose, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Everyone matters. And God loves us all.
Because God loves us all, and because we are all important, we should all also love each other, recognizing the significance of everyone, even if we do not completely understand what that significance is.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35 ESV
About the Photo
I decided to go with a slightly more artistic look for this photo. Some of the past beach photos have had bright, vivid colors, such as this one. But I decided to turn down the color saturation here, just for something different. Still lots of color, just not quite as deep.
And perhaps you were expecting some Christmas photos, since it is December? Believe it or not, I have not had time to take any yet. Maybe soon.
Photo: A single Raw exposure, processed in Raw Therapee and GIMP.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 II
Lens: Rokinon 35mm f/1.8
Date: July 24, 2024
Location: Cocoa Beach, Florida
