There is a kind of natural beauty that is appropriate to the circumstances of the moment. The dynamic of a full moon and high tide matched the uplifting emotions of my youth. Over time, however, the sad beauty of the receding tide and waning moon has come to resonate with me. The small boat floating on the quiet seashore at night is myself growing old and the old pier is the road I must take to get there. Growing old is sad, but it is not hopeless.