Looking ahead from the banks of the St. Johns River

I made this picture on a recent visit to Jacksonville, Fla. It was early in the morning. The humidity was already thick. The St. Johns River was still. From the Southbank side, I could easily see the Main Street Bridge and the downtown. I could tell that traffic was surprisingly light for the morning commute. Of course, living as I do, in the suburbs of Washington D.C., the traffic would appear relatively light almost anywhere else in the country.

Jacksonville is a cool little Southern city with appealing tree-lined neighborhoods, good eats and friendly people. Yes, there is a gritty side to the city, too. But even that tends to enhance the authenticity of the town. This is not Orlando or Miami.

The river winds through the city with a kind of elegance that you don't see in most other metro areas. On occasion, dolphins can be spotted swimming up and down the river, searching for dinner. Cars meander into town along streets with robust palm trees and Spanish moss. Office workers walk slowly from intersection to intersection dressed in polo shirts and khakis. The pace is calm but not stunted. It's a casual city with a slight inferiority complex but also a good sense of itself. Having a professional football team in town has certainly helped put Jacksonville on the map.

The sailor in this photo probably has other things on his mind that don't involve traffic or football. He has the look of a single purpose. The look of a man about to take a journey from Jacksonville with all of his worldly possessions in a single bag. I wondered what it would be like to be so focused on one thing -- to remove all the white noise that surrounds our daily thoughts.

People in Jacksonville seem to like where they live, which would make it more difficult to leave, of course. But I get the impression that this sailor, despite the uncertainly of what lies ahead, will be back.