At sunset, the warm sand of the dunes surrounding Baker Beach in San Francisco embrace me, the sound of the waves a soothing rhythm.

The cliffs and beaches in my Richmond neighborhood provided solace. In particular, the shrinking and growing Baker Beach dunes are a symbol of hope and a path forward. I’m reminded of the elegant resilience, coherence and interdependence embedded in coastal dune ecology.

We are all inter-related. Living on the edge of a continent is an invitation to imagine harmonious ways of living that are about the collective, not just individuals. Whose side are you on?