Welcomed Back by a Sacred Space
“The sea is his, and he made.”—Psalm 95:5.
We return to our sacred space on the Gulf after being gone for months. As I sip my morning tea, a huge welcoming party awaits us. A cool breeze keeps us from being overheated. The wind brings with it the welcoming salty smell of the sea. Hundreds of fishing boats leave the pass early in the morning to say Hello. A pelican silently flies by our balcony and tips her wings. Another comes so close he takes our breath away. Gulls circle the water in front of us, but decide not to stay. Their loud squawk lets us know they would only stay if we would feed them. The clouds above make funny little faces to make us laugh. The lone blue heron flies by, but does not land. He must be visiting new friends down the beach. Dolphins have not arrived, but they may consider extending the welcome to a later time in the day. I hear the blue angels, but cannot see them. A sparrow patiently waits on our balcony for any breakfast droppings.
I think of the men and women and children in the fishing boats. What will they catch today? They put their lines out deep beneath the surface, sometimes to great depth. Some venture far from land in search of the unknown. The fisher people travel with guides who know where to go where they have been before.
It is another metaphor for our spiritual journey, where we search beneath the surface of our lives to a deeper place of memories, dreams, and reflections. We go with spiritual guides who have been there before and know the territory. We share the joy of what we have found in community. We take back into our bodies and share the nourishment we have discovered previously unknown to us.
There is so much more in store for us in the deeper waters than what is found by the lone fisherman casting his line on the shore. However, this fisherman meditates while waiting for the infrequent nibbles from the sea. He also has the opportunity to go deeper into his mind. He also shares his poles with young children, teaching them the new art form. Another is standing by with his cell phone to make a permanent memory of the event.
God is there, reaching out for us no matter how we extend our search. The finding is always in the searching.
Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/