These words emerged like a gift for me one evening when I was watching the sunset on the beach . . .
Listening to the water crash where the ocean greets the land.
From the silence the waves crest, then crash, then fizzle to silence once again
Just in time to be followed by the next wave, and then the next,
Each emerging from and returning to the silence.
I was tickled to be in the company of sandpipers for this particular sunset. I have had an affinity for sandpipers ever since that magical, wintery, night I shared on the beach with my sister Jen so many moons ago when we were still girls. And just as ephemeral as that magic moment of my childhood, so too was the company of the sandpipers on this particular evening. They eventually took flight and left me alone in the ebbing and returning to stillness once more.
A favorite chant song of mine at the moment speaks to my spirit of the same message that emerged from this sunset at the beach. It is called, Return to Me, by Rickie Byars Beckwith. Let me share it here:
Return to Me.
Return to Me.
With every breath return.
End and begin with Me.
With every breath return.
Return to Love.
Return to Love.
With every breath return.
End and begin with Love.
With every breath return.
And with that, back to the stillness I return once more . . .
Jess said,
March 11, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Hello Florentine,
This is Jess, the gentleman you just spoke to in the coffee shop…I will pray for you concerning your healing and provision. I really enjoyed the conversation. And this writing was very nice. I liked the pictures too. Those little sandpipers are very cool animals, aren’t they? God bless.
(P.S. If you ever get the chance to check out my blog, I’m sure you would find it inspiring. It’s jesusspeaks.com. Take care.)
Tim Malone said,
May 5, 2011 at 9:21 pm
silence,
a music of the
soul.