Today I drove to Galveston for a walking tour, but I also snuck in a quick lunch at Maceo’s, where I got to have a nice chat with Connie, and a beach walk with my friend. We talked about ballast, which is maybe an odd thing to talk about. But one of the questions the people on the walking tour asked me led us there. I never knew that in the past ships coming to Galveston empty to get loaded up with cotton would carry bricks for balance. I found this notion both logical and intriguing. And it got me thinking about all the stuff that weighs people down. Maybe in a weird way it helps keep us balanced until we can exchange it for the weight of something truly meaningful – something we wish to carry.
Love the word ballast. If also means anything that gives mental, moral or political stability or steadiness. A steady income. LOGICAL thinking.