“A Sad and Beautiful World”
5/20/26
The line above from the Jim Jarmusch film, “Down By Law” perfectly captures the essence of exploration on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati. If one truly embraces all of life, it includes not averting our eyes to the realities of the cycles of life and impermanence. We cling to things. I certainly have. It comes with a high price. I don’t fear encountering these scenes. They are not ugly. They are real. Reminders. Not to be afraid. But to remember the fleeting essence.
The sanitized paths slicing the perfectly manicured lawns of Smale Park are wonderful. I walk miles of those almost daily and thank the park staff for their efforts. The flowers, as I’ve documented, are beyond beautiful. But so is the muck, debris, deceased wildlife, and washed up objects littering the shore at their final resting place on the river. All one. All part of our experience.
Peace. ☠️ ☮️ ✌🏼🙏🌎❤️
Due to laws against collecting any natural objects along the riverfront, (which I should have known!!), all feathers, shells, etc., have been returned to their site of collection. They are replaced with these found objects above which are allowed to be collected. I usually photo in place. Will only do that as respect. Always learning! In the middle is a Mariano Duncan card found today. Worthless, unless you remember the last time the Reds won the World Series.
Satirical alternate interpretation:
“JP, there are scary masks and dead things laying around, it’s cloudy and it could rain. Go-back-inside!”
