Under The Sea (and Hi Dad)

The scenery from the shoreline is forever-changing.  So much so, that each day brings with it a new seascape, an entirely different perspective.  Depending upon the tides, or the weather, or more importantly the position of the moon in the sky; endless miles of coastline can either be covered under a blanket of fast-moving ocean waves, or exposed, revealing the layers of sand and rock and seaweed which are usually nestled, hidden underneath.  This afternoon, at low tide, another yet undiscovered natural display was uncovered by the retreating ocean waves.  I have both observed and explored the large rock formations which become visible when the tide makes its way out to sea, but not once during the course of the past year have I observed the rock formations which I was lucky enough to witness, today.  At first glance, I noticed the heart that stands prominently in the center of this row of rock formations.  Having never noticed it before, it momentarily took my breath away, and I systematically told everyone who was at home at the time to look out the window!  And now, sitting here looking at the photos that I took of this lovely heart, I can see another message in the rocks.  I have decided not to share my interpretation of what I came up with when I put all three of the rocks that are lined up together.  I will leave it up to you to see if you see what I see, or if you can see something entirely different.  After all, it is all about perspective, and just as the shoreline constantly evolves and changes, so does our view of life.

And for another perspective from today:


It's not far down to paradise
At least it's not for me
And if the wind is right you can sail away
And find tranquility
The canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me


Sailing
Takes me away
To where I've always heard it could be
Just a dream and the wind to carry me
And soon I will be free

It's not far back to sanity
At least it's not for me
And when the wind is right you can sail away
And find serenity
The canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me

-Christopher Cross


When I saw these sailboats riding gently along on the breezes, the song "Sailing" by Christopher Cross began making its way forward from the deeper recesses of my mind.  If, by chance, you are too young to remember this song, go take a moment to listen to it.  Then close your eyes, and you too will be sitting on the deck of a sailboat headed for someplace wonderful!

Remembering Your Wings or Why I Can Relate to a Helium Balloon

I spotted these pink balloons floating heavenward, the other day, and for a moment, my soul froze mesmerized.  It was as if a small part of me somehow remembered what it was like to fly.
So much has changed for me in the past year.  I lost my only brother.  I found out that family can just be a pretty word for strangers who don't know a thing about you, but who pretend that they do.  I also found out that family, when done correctly, can absolutely save your life.  I experienced the true meaning of the word "betrayal" and then, what guilt looks like on people who do intend to cause pain.  It's not a pretty sight.  

But I also learned that death does not separate souls.  It does not mean the ending of love.  It does not cause a relationship to fracture, and in some ways, it strengthens the bond.  In watching those balloons, I felt a momentary separation between my body and my soul.  I remembered what it was like to be free of earthly pain.  I recognized my soul as a very separate part of my being and it reminded me that I could fly.  I remembered my own wings, tethered to their earthly body, yet very much alive and vibrant.  And I believed...I do believe that the strand which tethers my own soul to my body is the very same thread that keeps me connected to those whom I have loved, but who are now flying freely.
When my girls were little, I always told them that a balloon that broke free was a gift for the angels.  A gift for the angels from my Angels.  Because of this belief, they never cried when they lost hold of a helium balloon.  They would stand stoically, necks bent backwards, gazing into the sky, their little hands waving as the balloon drifted higher and higher into the heavens.  They could be strong because they knew that their balloon might be caught by a band of playful angels, or a thoughtful soul looking down, watching over the people that they loved.  They knew that just because they couldn't see their balloon, that it didn't mean that it was now gone forever.  It was just someplace else.  Someplace different.  Someplace they remembered, even if that memory was only somehow felt on a cellular level.

We all have wings.  And although the only flight that we can now experience is with our feet on the ground, it is important to remember what it is like to fly.  And to remember that those who we love, who are no longer attached to this earth, still hold us very close.  As we do them.  And the relationship continues, although it is different.  Because if we try very hard to remember, we will feel the freedom of air moving us skyward like a balloon that has broken free.  And that feeling will be incredible...Absolutely incredible.

May you find a way to feel the gentle movement of the breeze which can bring your sight skyward and try to remember what it is like to fly.  May you take a moment to focus on that strong, invisible thread that connects you, undyingly, to those you love.  Near or far.  May you recognize that the love is just as strong as it ever was.  Flight or no flight.

Viewing Life From a Different Distance

Watching fireworks from a distance provides the observer with bursts of brilliant color, beautiful shapes and perfectly choreographed fire dances.  A show put on by individuals who have spent a lot of time studying Pyrotechnics. Everything appears to be perfectly orchestrated and seems to go off without any glitches.  A vision of near perfection when observed from the proper distance.

Move in a bit closer and the dance takes on a whole different look.  Random explosions that seem to occur without any rhyme or reason.  Black and green smoke fill the skies and float upon the surface of the water creating a confusing scene.  The dark skies light up, yet the explosions seem to be just that...Explosions.  Sudden and not easily observable while watching from a distance. Haphazard and chaotic, yet still strangely beautiful.

This was my experience with fireworks, this year.  We were able to observe one show at a distance and it was perfect and lovely.  Something that has become fairly familiar after spending forty-six summers of my life observing Fourth of July displays.  However, less than a fourth of a mile from my front yard on the ocean, a very different scene took place.  Fire seemed to settle on the water as ringlets of smoke cascaded down from the heavens.  The "oooh's and ahh's" which usually rise from the crowds of observers were replaced with an almost eery quiet.  A different kind of awe was taking place.  The awe of viewing the same exact scene from a very different perspective.

Life is like that.  Perception can be variant depending upon where something is being viewed from.  From one perspective, things may seem to be easy and charmed, yet when looked at from another viewpoint, the ordinary is suddenly extraordinary.  The things we expect are replaced with things we have never seen.  We are suddenly struck with the realization that there is never really only one way in which to view our lives.  There are many, many ways, once we open ourselves up to different distances...Different perspectives.

This year has been a lot like that for me.  In many ways, I feel as if I have been observing my life from a different distance.  Sometimes, chaotic and uglier than anything I have ever experienced before.  Sometimes, just as I had expected.  And sometimes, strangely beautiful from distances I never imagined standing at.

May we all remain mindful of the many, many different perspectives from which our lives can be viewed.  May we keep our spirits open to looking at life from where ever we might end up at any given moment.  May we remain open to the views from a different distance for in some ways, those are the places from which we can learn the most.