A small post juts out of the water near where I begin my beach walk. Visible only at low tide, it has become like an old friend, occasionally spotted in its familiar site. Today as I neared the post, a woman gestured excitedly to me. “Look, look,” she said, “ there’s a sea turtle! See his head?” She pointed to the tip of the post, as two friends joined her, their voices animated and gleeful, calling me to share their discovery. I hesitated before I responded, explaining that it was a post deeply sunk into the sand, a post that appeared when the tide was out, a post I saw on a regular basis. “Oh well,” the woman sighed, “it was fun for a few minutes to think we’d spotted a sea turtle.” I thought about what I did, dashing her hopes of a turtle encounter. Sometimes ignorance is bliss, but more often it’s destructive. If I choose to ignore my behavior, excusing its hurtful intent, creating rationalizations for misdeeds, I may find a few moments’ pleasure, but at the risk of my soul’s good health. God tells me He is the truth; either I turn toward the truth or I live in darkness and deceit. I hope those women find a sea turtle in the surf and enjoy its presence. And I pray, please Lord, help me know your truth and share it with others, not from arrogance but from love. Amen.
I was born and raised in a large city, its designs imposed by humans. Paved streets, curbs and sidewalks marked by play boundaries. The garden was a small plot maintained
Dear Heavenly Father, these are desperate times. When crises happen, we find solace and comfort in the presence of others—they hug and hold us, they remind us of their love
As the island empties in the growing darkness of autumn, my mind considers other seashores, other ages, other lives. I think about the Sea of Galilee and what it must