A dream

I grew up living beside the water. My house was at the intersection of two rivers and beyond one river is a narrow strip of land - one street wide - and then the ocean. I spent a lot of time as a kid messing around in sailboats on the river and lots of time sailing, swimming and body surfing in the ocean.

I've lived in a landlocked province for over 26 years but the ocean is still with me. "Do you know a cure for me? Why yes, he said, I know a cure for everything. Salt water. Salt water? I asked him. Yes, he said, in one form or another, sweat, tears or the salt sea."- Isak Dinesen. I don't get much salt sea these days, though I search it out whenever I can, but I certainly get sweat and tears.

The ocean also provides me sustenance in my dreams. I think of one dream in particular when I feel a quiver of fear. I am alone in a small sailing dingy heading out to sea. A powerful huge wave is coming and I know that it will crash down on me unless I do something. In my dream, I turn the boat to face the wave and then somehow steer it under the wave, much like a swimmer dives under a wave to avoid its churn. I emerge on the other side of the wave and face the wind. All is quiet. The boat and I are both still.

This dream's metaphor works well for me. Face your fears (the wave coming crashing down) and then be still.

Namaste,
Ginny