love at seashore

love at seashore, originally uploaded by sundayschoolrebel.

Today I am abandoning poetry for love, which seems appropriate.  Besides, poetry requires time and/or inspiration, and I am feeling the lackthereof in this hectic, crazy life of mine. 

I snapped this picture on the grounds of Seashore Assembly in Biloxi, MS, while standing on the slab of what-used-to-be a church. Memories of songs sung and tears shed colliding into a whole lot of nothing left.  Standing in the hot August sun, I looked down and saw a heart at my feet.  It made me smile, in that way that makes me love God all the more, She with her jokes and synchronicities, and kept the tears at bay.  The destruction is still so raw.  I didn't have time to brood on all that was lost, as we focused on what still is, and what will ever be. 

Tonight, driving my way home towards the sunset, I heard that sweetly cheesy Eagles song, tuning in right at the moment "when we're hungry, love will keep us alive."  Now, when I'm really and truly hungry, please step out of the way or make me a sandwich, but on a deeper level, it's true.  When I'm hungry for connection, for comfort, I reach out to those so dear and true in my heart of hearts.  Love is holding my mother's hand, having the Green Bean Kid sit in my lap and demolish my dessert.  Love makes me call my husband, who I miss irrationally at certain times, so I call just to hear his voice on the voicemail.  I experience and believe in the Love that created mountains and oceans and mystery of mysteries, the stars.  This is the Love that moves me, that constantly moves within me, bringing me back, over and over again, to that truth of a love deeper than a thousand seas, a note like the shimmering strike of a silver bell.

Love Thursday

Comments

[Irene]

your words are so powerful. that was beautiful, thanks for sharing.

[rookiemama]

SSR-
Were on earth did you get your way with words?!?

And I want to see more of these Seashore photos.

[Serena]

I'm always floored when God manages to do those little things or send us those little messages just when we need them most.

[violetismycolor]

What a beautiful post...and I just love the photo, too. I can imagine what you must have been feeling. How sad to lose a wonderful church but you seem very comforted by your faith, as it should be.

[tinker]

You didn't abandon your poetry - it still shines through your prose, Miss Sam ;)
Lovely post.

[Hashi]

Samantha, I found your blog from a comment you left on Christina's, which included a WS Merwin poem. I illustrated a poem of Merwin's and put the story of how I discovered him on my blog a few days ago; you might be interested.

I really relate to what you wrote above. A couple of weeks ago I had an intense desire to reconnect with members of my family, who all live on the other side of the world. I emailed my three brothers and my father with whom I have only infrequent contact. I called my mother, my sister, my children. Two days later, my mother had a major stroke, and now we're all in touch every day.

I'm also writing long letters to my friends, making phone calls, making time for what's truly important -- celebrating LIFE. As Christina says, it's what's TRULY precious.