The Wait

The Wait

Settled in a wash of sand and humanity,
I ponder the attraction of the ocean.

Amidst the multiflora of umbrellas and the visual cacophony of brightly colored towels,
Millions of poised watchers face the vast expanse.

Are the multitudes in a state of conscious wondering ?
Or is some instinctive force bringing them to this spot where earth and water meet.

Like the sea birds, we wait. . .

I examine a handful of sand and attempt an awareness of the absolute number of grains that must exist on this earth.

I look to the gentle waves as they greet the shore and with appreciation reflect upon the power of the gravity that holds the oceans water and all these creatures fast to the body of the earth.

I experience the multisensory nature of this place:
the smells of decaying sea life and tropical lotions. . .
the heat of the sun and sand warming every fiber of my being. . .
the sounds of laughter and the call of the gulls. . .
an almost perceptual taste of salt in the air. . .
&
the beauty of found treasures, sailing ships, and sand castles.

Like the sea birds, we wait. . .

Are these the trappings that bring millions to the spot?
That may be a simplistic explanation.

Perhaps like me, they come to this changing point where our known becomes the unknown,

Where we can envision the expanse and imagine the depth of the ocean,
So as to bear witness to its powerful grandeur.

Perhaps we come to gain a piece of divine understanding of our God’s purpose and nature in this place.

For this. . .Like the sea birds, we wait. . .