Waveriding

Some of my favorite childhood memories 

are of warm summer days in the Atlantic Ocean, 

riding wave after wave 

on skimpy little plastic air mattresses 

(the old fashioned kind) 

with my daddy.  

On these trips to see our Jacksonville relatives, 

the highlight for me was always the adventure of catching 

these very unpredictable waves and riding them 

all the way into the shore, 

until my body was scraping the sand 

and the thrill of another long ride was filling my spirit.  

"Let's do it again, Daddy!"  

And out we'd go for another encounter with the playful sea, 

never knowing if this next wave would be 

the thriller of the day or just a teaser. 

What we knew from experience 

was that the higher the crest, 

the more energy in the wave, and the longer the ride.  

It's just nature's way.

Now, some 50+ years later, I remember this experience 

and know for a fact that every wave that crests 

must eventually fall back into the sea from which it came. 

On those days 

when events and their resulting thoughts and feelings 

have taken me on another wild ocean ride, 

and it feels like it's nothing but 

CRESTING 

(When will this ever be resolved?) 

I now know it will fall...

it will resolve...

it will once again become part of the whole.  

And with every experience, 

I know, 

without a doubt, 

that the ocean is safe, 

even when it rises 

into those threatening  appearances, 

and I will once again ride 

all the way through it and onto the shore...

perhaps, even more willing 

to do it again. 

What a ride!

Thank you, God for reminding me 

of the dependable rhythm of your creation.  

May I rest always 

in the rising and falling ocean 

of your abiding love.