Left by the tide, this sea star, or "starfish" as they are commonly called, is out of its element. It struggles to "breathe." It's body goes into survival mode. A sea star is not made for mobility on wet sand and will never make it to the water on it's own. Instead, it will need the water to return on the flooding tide.

I was there last week, struggling for breath, in a familiar place but out of my element, my body entering survival mode and breaking down. I am lucky that my tide came in.