Flashback on a Wave of Goodness

LORD GOD, I'll just write this to YOU. You are my BIGGEST follower, even as I follow YOU.

I'm sure YOU remember lounging with me by the poolside in Galveston, Texas while Kevin attended yet one more talk. My desire to be with You on my birthday afternoon brought me and your WORD out in the sun to reflect and meditate. My spirit soared freely, light with thankfulness for the blessed life You have been pleased to lead me into. I reflected on sorrow, tasting the bitterness once again but knowing that this too would pass on and leave me stronger, more resilient. You washed me once again, as You always do, and until I picked up the local paper and read the halting words of that arrogant columnist, I felt peaceful, content - even with my ever present LONGING for MORE - more of GOD, more of the wild ride of walking by YOUR SPIRIT.

The local columnist didn't mean to exclude his reader, I'm sure - for isn't the whole point of writing an article or book, etc.., to SHARE part of oneself, experience or imagination with another?? Never-the-less, EXCLUDED describes just how I felt as I read his article about surfing and gazing, in awestruck wonder, "through the tunnel" - the circular wall of water surrounding the surfer as a giant wave rolls toward the shore, the RIDER WITHIN. His tantalizing description of the sight and feeling, he prefaced with the separating comment "only a surfer will understand or appreciate .." At this disclaimer, my spirit fell - I am NOT, and for many reasons will NEVER be, a surfer. I supposed the columnist's audience consisted of only fellow adventurers of the BOARD, and wondered, pityingly, why I even bothered reading the rest.

To me, the being-left-out feeling not only included this "tunnel" experience, but encompassed much more of LIFE - for which I LONG. I proceeded to have a long talk with GOD about it; I poured out my heart to YOU, O GOD, do you remember? So much of YOU, the human heart, adventure and REVELATION I want to understand - I want to know, but how will I ever get there. I don't possess the giftedness, the time (I'm 40 + already and time is zooming by), the energy - I'll never make it. YOU, oh LORD, listened attentively and I sensed you had something - SOMETHING to say....

Kevin interrupted my thoughts to invite me into the computer room before dinner so I could see all my birthday wishes on facebook. Oh, loving Father GOD, you had the best birthday e-mail waiting for me and your timing speaks volumes of our intimate friendship! After reading a myriad of well wishes, I opened an e-mail from a dear man, father of my best friend, who had randomly sent out some photos he thought interesting - (not for my birthday.) Upon opening his attachment, three beautiful full color shots awaited me: all three views, from a surfer's perspective, gazing through "the tunnel" of magnificent ocean waves. Waves of warmth and love swept over me, as YOU spoke to me. "I have blessed you with an empathy and ability to see and understand the heart vicariously. You don't have to have gone through all experiences to grow through and speak into others joys and pain. MY BODY is a community of children who are meant to carry each others' burdens, share each others' successes, and experience each other's adventures."