| Last fall we moved to Plum Island, a small barrier island on the coast
of Massachusetts. It is a beautiful place, full of sand, wind and
water. The northern part of the island is packed with old summer cottages
that are daily turning into three story homes. I love my street. It's full
of kids that our son plays with, and I know everyone here by name. But
at night, when I go for a walk, it is south, to the unlit part of the beach
that I head. Here the night sky is visible, and out from the darkness of
the Atlantic springs forth wave upon wave of water to break upon the sands
at my feet.
I love this walk at night in a winter storm. I often start out reticent,
a part of me preferring to stay in the warmth and comfort of our cozy home.
But the storm calls, pulling, and finally I leave. By the time I make it
the block and a half to the beach, I am grateful to be out.
My cheeks cool quickly, and the warmth I have carried from the shelter
of my home leaks out the collars of my neck and cuffs. With every step
and swing of my arms, I pump this indoor air out, pumping outside air in.
I know that if I meander too slowly, I will be cold and shivering in minutes.
To stay here I must light the fire of my own body, so I walk fast, straight
into the wind.
Soon I am breathing heavy, sucking in lungfulls of fresh air. It invigorates
me, lifting my spirits. The core of my body heats up; pumping freshly heated
blood to my arms and legs, fingers and toes. I feel my face grow warm in
the dark, melting the windblown snow on my face, and the sting of the wind
on my cheeks softens. The melted water trickles down my neck and chest,
bringing goosebumps and waves of shimmers until it disappears into the
warmth of my body. My gratitude grows, I am grateful to be alive.
I feel myself surrounded by blessed spirits; devas, elves and angels
who sing praise with me in the shrieking of the wind. I reach out to them,
these seen and unseen beings of light who dance with me. I am grateful
for the blessings of this human birth, gifting me with the senses to feel
the life around me. My steps lighten, and I twirl, pulling them all into
me, pouring myself out into them. We blend together, merging in the night,
and the beach becomes the vastness of the Milky Way, we, the stars upon
its shore.
I stumble homeward, drunk with the ecstasy of union, each step a blessing
upon the land. Soon I am crawling between the cool sheets of this bed.
I lay there, listening to the storm outside, feeling it coursing within
me. I am kin with the animals out there, the deer and coyotes, rabbits
and birds, all curled up in their nests. I feel the wind and the snow sweeping
across the land, and another wave of goosebumps runs over me. I pull the
covers closer and drift to sleep, smiling. |
