There they were, flocked on the shoal, sea gulls, terns, egrets, herons, and loveliest and most interesting to my eyes: white pelicans! As they flapped their wings, I noticed for the first time their under-wings were a marvelous display of ebony.
Just then, I wished I were an ornithologist so that I knew what I was seeing and why the pelicans were flapping wings and lifting off just slightly as if dancing on the shimmering water.
I edged to the small bridge to get a better angle and was drawn instead to an old man fishing.
I was struck by his patience and perseverance despite his obvious frailties. I thought he had a fish from the tautness of his line. When asked, he replied that his gear was caught on a submerged rock.[bctt tweet=”I couldn’t take my eyes off him because I was witnessing a rare sight in our hurry-up society.”]
He painstakingly turned to reach his cane and patiently pulled his line in by hand and wound it around. I didn’t wait to see the result of the bent man’s work, but I noted his leather-like forearms, rusted pliers, taped up rods, but newer reels.
Why I couldn’t take my eyes off him? I think because I was witnessing a rare sight in our hurry-up society.
Questions for you to think about:
- What rare sights have you observed that have given you pause?
- What caused you to reflect on your life? Your faith journey?
- What “rocks” are in your life that you need to get untangled from?
- What does “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10a) makes you think of?
Barbara Miller serves on the churchwide executive board. She lives in Washington, Mich.
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Photo: C.C. Chapman, used with permission, Creative Commons
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