Reverent Invitations

Skimboarder watching for just the right wave at 1000 Steps Beach.      ©2023 Wendy Lew Toda

The skimboarder stood absolutely still. Relaxed and ready. His absorbed attentiveness brought me to a total stop. Something holy was happening.

This unexpected sacred reverence went on and then went on some more. Then suddenly, he sprang into action, sprinting to the edge of the water and riding as one with it, the thrill of the moment clearly visible in the big grin on his face as he finished!

The invitation for me as I watched: to be like the skimboarder in how I live my life. How can I be just as aware of and reverent toward what's happening in front of me, patiently watching for the movement of Spirit, recognizing which moment is mine when it comes, then running to it full speed, and finding play and joy in the process? 

I notice a second invitation too, maybe the foundational part of the first: to simply be still. The pace of life has been intense for quite a while now, and solitude, silence and stillness top my list of self-care needs. This image is the background on my devices to remind me to stop and take some deep breaths. It gathers me into a reverent stillness, just as it did in real life, in those sacred minutes on the beach.

What do you notice in this image - ?! What invitation might there be for you?

Try this:

Take a few deep breaths, and in your mind, place yourself in this image...imagine the sound of the ocean. Imagine seeing the waves coming in and watching them build in the distance. Smell the salty, misty fog in the air. Feel it on your skin. Crunch the sand between your toes.

What does this image evoke in you?