Like the pull of the moon when she is full of luminous light,
the ocean beckons me to her side
where the waves wash over my soul and the birds invite me to fly.
So I walk, step after step, step after step,
leaving more than a footprint,
‘shoulds’ and ‘ought-tos’ fall away,
tension loses its grip on my shoulders
the hamster wheel in my mind stops spinning
and, finally, I shed my shoes,
connecting sole with soul.
So I walk, step after step, step after step,
my fingers begin picking up shells almost without my awareness,
large and small, broken and whole,
compelled by the Artist within I place the shells in the sand
working out some arrangement between my soul and Spirit.
So I walk, step after step, step after step,
joining the community of all who share the beach,
who seek its refuge and beauty and healing,
our individual lives and smiles brushing briefly against one another
while the ahinga invites me to claim the solitude
that is inherent in such a walk.
So I walk, step after step, step after step,
strong waves crashing fiercely over the rocks,
breaking upon my ‘wanting to be certain’ grip,
splashing into the dark crevices for a thorough spring cleaning.
So I walk, step after step, step after step,
drawn to the piers whose walkways extends into the deep,
where fishermen and fisherwomen cast their lines and their hopes
and the birds flock to feed on leftover fish parts.
But it is the underside that calls out to me
as I find my way to the cloister on the sea,
finding sanctuary in the rhythm of the waves and the repetition of the structure
and the doorway at the far end.
So I walk, step after step, step after step,
watching the birds waddle down the beach as they search for snatches of food
and chase one another in a game of tag
and take flight into the strong winds,
wondering what it means for one’s spirit to soar
while being suspended over the sea.
And as I walk,
each step becomes prayer ~ for myself, for others, for creation,
and I enter into the mystery of creation and the
and the presence of our Creator.
And as I walk each step brings more wholeness and peace.
It's A Matter of Thyme 