Religion on the Beach

Day 2 1/2 here on retreat. I'm so frustrated that I cannot put up images for these days. anyhow, the purpose of this retreat is to get work done because there are no distractions like at home BUT this turns out not to be the case. I am continually seduced by the ocean. I went down yesterday TWICE. This must stop. I don't want it to rain, but if it did at least I could keep still here to work. I did get 2 Spirit Portraits done yesterday (congrats Shirley and Emily) in between the walks. It's just that for me it's so interesting and exciting to be able to experience how the light changes during the year and how it looks over the water, etc etc. This place is mostly a summer tourist destination and is really empty now. I think I saw a total of 5 people on the beach yesterday and I was surprised to see them.

One of them, a woman walked up to me and said "Honey, do you know where we are?" I didn't know at first if maybe she had dementia (as she was somewhat older) or really what she meant. Then she asked about the town line and I understood. We ended up speaking for about 20 minutes. In that time she taught me about some shells (the names of them and the history which was fascinating). Every other sentence she said "Bless your heart" which really is not all that strange as one moves down south. But in her case I knew it was something more. Later she shared how she believes in God because as our conversation progressed she let me know a stressful situation that she was involved in and how she had faith that she would be taken care of. I shared in the same way (about my own problem area). I became teary eyed and she gave me a hug. As we parted she turned to me and said "I love you" and I found myself returning the declaration.

Later that afternoon I rewarded myself for a good segment of work by returning to the beach with my binoculars. In the morning I had seen a pod of dolphins and my above friend said that the whales breach here in January and Feb and to be on the looklout for the spouts and sprays. There was only one man on the beach all huddled up in clothing and sitting on his bucket as he fished. It was almost sunset, my fav time to go there because of the light. I passed by him and then on my return stopped to say something. He had his can of beer and I wondered if he really wanted to be left alone to his privacy but I asked what he was catching this time of year and we had a nice conversation. He pointed out a nearby seagull, just about 10 -15 feet away and told me that for several months the same gull came very day and stood by him, shooing away the other gulls. He said that even when he left town for a week, 10 days, the gull would be there waiting when he returned. Really cool. He told me some about his life (too time consuming for here) and let me know that he found the Lord in 2002.

I thought it so strange yesterday that:

1. I never normally talk to anyone on the beach
2. Both people I spoke with had found the Lord

So I am just beginning my day here and need to get started work. More tomorrow......

Till then