Rock
My Soul
“The
life of the soul on Earth has us bobbing on a raft of flesh in and out of view
of eternity, and the work of the inner pilgrim is to keep eternity in our heart
and mind’s eye when dropped in the belly of our days.”
Mark
Nepo (“One Constant Arrival,” The Book of Awakening, p.143; Conari Press, 2000)
I once went out on a 28
ft. fishing boat on the northern Atlantic Ocean. It was meant to be a pleasant run
out to a particularly good area for catching tuna; the day was sunny and
beautiful, yet the water was turbulent. With each swell, the boat went straight
up the face of the 20ft-high waves, sat precariously on the lip for a moment, then,
leaping through mid-air, slammed down on the other side so hard it rattled our
teeth. For me, it was terrifying. Nepo’s point is that life, especially the
life of the soul, has its major ups and downs. When we’re up, everything looks rosy—we
can see eternity—but when it slams into the trough, all we see is a wall of
water. We’re up one day and down the next. I suppose the landing is made
somewhat softer if we are wealthy, but no one is spared.
Our salvation comes in understanding
the nature of life ahead of time, so we appreciate the cycle of good-times, then
take a deep breath and brace ourselves for the cycle of hard-times in the
knowledge that they, too, will change. Things get better, things get worse, then
they get better again. And so it goes. When we’re in the belly of the wave, we
have the crest to remember and look forward to. If your courage holds out, you
may even collect a lesson or two about yourself along the way. (The lesson for
me was don’t get onto a small boat on the big ocean unless you want to lose a
few teeth.) There’s a chance you’ll arrive back at your safe harbor somewhat
wiser and more experienced—and if you’re truly lucky, with some food to share
with others. Tuna of the Soul is pretty tasty, I’m told.
I hope your soul is
rocking in the bosom of Abraham today.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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