This entry is a vivid photographic composite, meticulously crafted from seven original photographs of the La Contessa Pier (pre- and post-Hurricane Helene) and an image of a favorite Blue Heron. The work presents a dramatic visual dichotomy: the left side captures the pier's pre-storm serenity under a tranquil sunset, while the right depicts its storm-battered pilings beneath a sky charged with lightning and ruin. A central, towering wave symbolizes the catastrophic force of Helene that severed these two realities. Anchoring the piece is the Blue Heron, poised amidst the wreckage, a potent symbol of resilience and the persistent, indifferent beauty of nature that remains after human structures fall. The American flags on either side further frame the narrative of a community's loss and endurance.