Psalm of the Sea

I believe that the call of the sea is spiritual in nature.

Akin to a great cathedral, the seashore is a portal to the divine, offering exquisite beauty and a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Come inside. The doors of this holy shrine are opened wide.

Our God dwells here.

Dip your fingers in the font of living water and bless yourself.

Kneel on a patch of sand, cushioning your fall from grace. Ponder your transgressions and rise.

All is forgiven.

The Builder framed the ceiling with Heaven and carpeted the floor with minerals. The walls are waves.

Sit on a pew of solid granite, hewn by ice and warmed by sun.

The congregation gathers. Sandpipers dance near the water’s edge. Families come pushing baby carriages. Dogs drag their owners. Lovers walk hand in hand.  

Sing a psalm of the sea accompanied by the laughter of children, the soaring soprano of seagulls, the putter of powerboats and the pounding surf.

A joyful noise will be carried on the wind.

Pray without ceasing. Commune with the Creator and bare your soul. Like fog rising to the heavens, your thoughts touch the mind of God.

Immerse yourself in silence and meditate, drowning out the voices of this world.

Sense His presence.

Feel joy, the deep-down awareness of living in love.

Cast your nets upon the waters. Five fishes are miraculously multiplied.

A table is spread for all to eat – the ocean brimming with sustenance for our bodies, as well as our souls.

All will be fed.

Gaze at a single stalk of sea grass bending in the wind, the perfection of pink petals on a beach rose, the intricate patterns etched on a quahog shell, the luminescence of a sun-drenched sea as it coruscates, radiating blinding light.

Illuminated, make your life a pilgrimage.

You will never walk alone.