The balmy Pacific buoys me up and I float effortlessly, spread eagle on its glassy surface over twenty-five miles from land. My heart echoes in submerged eardrums and my teeth clench my snorkel mouthpiece. The tropical sun feels like a warm blanket and adds a chartreuse tinge at the surface of the fathoms of uninterrupted ocean. I float, alone, more alone than I have ever been. I am swallowed up in a shapeless, motionless world and I peer through my mask trying to discern a fish or an identifiable shape of some sort.
Suddenly, without warning or turbulence of any kind, three blimp-like shadowy figures slip into view. Awestruck, I stare maybe eight to ten feet below me, at three majestic pilot whales suspended in endless deepening blue. Their gentle presence startles me, but I feel calm and somehow connected to an old friend from far away. The lead whale hovers directly below me and my binocular vision allows me to take in every detail: chalky crustaceans cling to her hide like warts, a deep two foot scar runs down her left side, and her nose is blunt. Suddenly, a rolling tilt to the right reveals a small, curious marble of an eye. We peer, eye-to-eye, motionless, transfixed, trusting…. wondering. “Who are you? Why are you here?” She gazes deep into my heart, my mind, my very being. We are, by some invisible, but powerful energy, connected. My whole body releases a whispered Wow! as we float in silent trust at the edge of sea and sky.
An eerie, high-pitched call breaks our bond. My companion rights herself and as quietly as they arrived, the behemoth trio slip into the ocean’s depths. And I, watching until they are truly out of sight, finally burst breathlessly through the surface of the water, yank off my mask and exclaim to no one in particular, “That may be as close to heaven as I’ll ever get!”
Heaven, indeed, Ru!
ReplyDeleteFew, if any of us, will ever have the chance to share such a moment with our kin. Certainly they felt the same connection as you did.
THANK YOU for inviting us in! What a treasure trove! I can't wait to snuggle into bed on a quiet evening and catch up on all that you've written. Finally, Aunt Ruth has a blog! We love you and love your writing.
ReplyDeleteAmazing. I sat here, transfixed, as if experiencing the scene on my own. How were you able to be out there, alone, so seemingly far from civilization? Incredible.
ReplyDeleteCosta Rica. The things you saw.
ReplyDeleteThe things you did.
Turtles laying eggs in the sand and paddling
back to the water. Mountain treks
with kids looking for clay.
Slashed tires.
Never dull when you are a such a
keen observer. All material shaped into
a vivid story so the rest of us can go there
with you.