Maiden Voyage on " Good Trouble"

Photo By The Pensacola Hippie

I took the new-to-me kayak whom I named _Good Trouble_ for her maiden voyage this morning. I'd acquired the kayak from my mom, who hasn't used it in over a decade. Brian and I spend a lot of time at the bay , and I've always wanted a kayak. For me, spending time on the water is as close to God as I can get-- and the ONLY way that I feel " whole' during this dystopian nightmare of a pandemic. 

These past three weeks have been hard on me. As the pandemic drags on I've felt further from my spiritual " center"--- finding that spiritual practice which have sustained me during the first four months of Pandemic Life now leave me empty. 

I am weary of Zoom Life. Maybe this two-dimensional connection is enough for some people, but my soul is engineered for life in three dimension.  On the water-- I connect with the Earth-maker and center myself. All of my senses are involved- it feels so good to feel the  sand on my feet, water on my skin, hear the birds sing, and see the beauty of Creation all around me. I smell the salt air and listen carefully to the mullet jump around me. 

I am totally present with Creator and Creation. Out on the water, I feel my shoulder and arm muscles burn calories as I propel myself across the water. There are no people within ten feet of me at any given time, and I relax. 

For a solid hour and fifteen minutes, I forget that I am living through a horrible pandemic : one that is keeping me physically-distant from nearly everyone I love. I forget that I'm not able to celebrate my Grandmother's 90th birthday this weekend in Pittsburgh-- due to the risk of airline travel. 

As a matter of fact, I forget { temporarily} that we see no end to this pandemic-- with our state and national leaders not showing any initiative to help cases go down by mandating protective gear. 

Its me, Earth-Maker, and the things of Nature. 

I feel safe. 

I've always been drawn to salt water-- for me that element has a healing property that I cannot explain logically. I like to think that my affinity for water is due-- at least in part- to my ancestors farming Torry Island-- off the coast of Ireland. As much as the big woods of the Appalachians call me,  salt water here  of the coast of Northwest Florida is a stronger call. 

I wasn't made to sit inside , on land, and in artificial light. Today's morning kayak trip brought me back to my " center": and reminded me of who God made me to be 

In the Name of the Earth-Maker Pain -Bearer & Life Sustainer.... Amen. 

~Sarah