The very morning I decided to try for the beach pic with the red full moon behind it, the Laguna Beach Pacific Marine Mammal Center decided to release Wildflower. Wildflower is a fully rehabilitated California Sea Lion who was rescued on Balboa Pier after suffering from malnutrition and dehydration. Some people will say that getting up whilst on vacation at 5:30am to try to take a photograph is crazy. Or flying around the world in pursuit of images is ridiculous. Carrying a 40lb bag (or making your buddy carry it) 30miles into the back country is asinine. Getting eaten by mosquitos waiting for the light to be just right is psychotic. All to keep most of what you get in a little black box inside the virtual digital world is nuts. But, if I didn’t get out of bed that morning, I would’ve missed watching humankind be at its best. I wouldn’t have known about Wildflower, or that there was a Pacific Marine Mammal Center. I wouldn’t have taken my family to the Center later that day. I wouldn’t have donated to a great cause. My son wouldn’t know just how in peril the Oceans are today, and the only way to save it is to volunteer your time to it. I feel that getting my lazy ass out of bed that morning was a small price to pay for the enriched experiences I received after for myself and my family. I feel that for all the extra effort required (and even those little bastard mosquitos) I am the one making out….and by the way, I did get my beach pic.
