A boat just off shore of the beach
Today Mari, Leo, Estelle (Mari's daughter), my friend Judy Kerschner and I set off for Puerto San Jose, on the Pacific coast of Guatemala. Mari has wanted to take me to the ocean for over a year now, and finally had a Saturday when she did not have to work serving food at the university. We left about 5 in the morning, since the drive would be about 2 hours, and Leo said the ocean would be the most calm in the morning. I used to think it was great if I only needed a light jacket the weekend after Thanksgiving, and could hardly believe I was now headed to the ocean!
I have always loved water, though I don't know how to swim and frankly am a little terrified of any water taller than I am! I've been to the ocean in California and Boston, but only waded, so I wasn't sure what to expect today. When we arrived, we discovered Leo was right. The ocean is calmer in the morning. That does not mean, however, that it is anything like swimming in a pool or even a lake. I was more than a little apprehensive about going in, but with Leo's coaxing decided to give it a try.
I soon learned a valuable lesson. When a wave comes in, go with it. If you fight it, to even try to hold your ground, you're sometimes just gonna get knocked off your feet. I couldn't help but think how much this is like the "waves" of challenges and pains that come rolling at us in life. So often we see them coming and become afraid. We position ourselves to fight, and are often overcome by their strength. I've learned (finally, I think) that when the waves of suffering come, there is nothing that we can do but surrender and ride them out. They will pass. They always have, and we have the promise that they always will.
So I let the waves bounce me around, sometimes rolling me in a direction I had not planned, but always taking me closer to shore (I guess I was lucky the tide was coming in!). It was an amazing way to end the holiday weekend, and I have to admit that I prefer it over the shoveling out I did in Nebraska this time last year!
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