ALL HAIL THE HORIZON - THE GREAT DIVIDE
 


The design element of 'line' has always been a big deal to me. As an artist, the importance of line has been drilled home time after time. Fat ones, skinny ones, curved, broken, short and long. Lines are snakey, sleek, interrupted and oft-times solid. These relaxing days on the ocean have, for me, heightened my love of line.



I am presently cocooned in a lovely condo on the edge of the Atlantic ocean - Myrtle Beach style. "Hey, wait a minute, I thought you were living in a micro mobile RV these days", you might say. Well, compliments of a generous brother who owns this 'pad', I am being graced with a week of expansive living. An indulgent pleasure, it is! The fact that I am suspended about 90 feet above ground, but surrounded by every creature comfort a person might expect, does not fully explain the euphoria I have been privy to over the past few days. There's not much in life, more magical than witnessing the sunrise and sunset high above the pounding surf from the balcony that sits on the eastward side of this resort-style living space.



My first evening on the beach graced me with a splendid sunset display, capping off an enjoyable travelers' birthday! Sunsets from my present perch are not the California type. One needs to be facing west to witness the dropping off of the great 'sun-orb' at day's end. However, sunsets when facing east at the Atlantic ocean are more about the horizon's great color divide as seen in the southern sky. Cloud formations have everything to do with the striated display of color as the light of day withers. The peachy slivered dagger of reflected sun that was my birthday sunset was a delight beyond measure. A large cloud cover left only this narrow-arrow of light with a few needle-like clouds casting a shadowed display of blues, oranges, pinks and mineral grays. Oh the glory of it!



As I have lingered over many-a-cup of tea, contemplating the great expanse of water and wave, of foam and seagulls, of the flip-flopping of light and dark at the horizon, I realize the great powers that are held in the atmosphere and movement of the ocean. This is the week that Hurricane Sandy hit the eastern seaboard. Though the outer bands left only a day's worth of rain in this locale, the day before I arrived, good fortune was not to be realized in the states north of here. As I have listened to the media's portrayal of the devastation in the New Jersey and New York areas, I moan in sorrow for the gross loss that lies to my north. How can it be? Somehow, the pleasant view I enjoy today, looking oceanward, brings to mind the Disney movie "Beauty and the Beast". How appropriate, the analogy - incomprehensible beauty when admiring a calm sea, and the most ferocious of beasts when 100 mph winds gobble up homes, neighborhoods and business districts, too close to water's edge. 
 

Why is it that the ragged edge of human experience is seen most easily in giant-sized discrepancies -polar opposites. A new love begins for someone, and a long love ends for another. A lucrative new job offer comes to one, and a job termination arrives at the doorstep of another. A new life comes to one family, and a loved one leaves this earthly life for another family. Nature has its vast differences as well. I have witnessed for days now, the light changes where the line draws a horizon - one moment the sky is light, the ocean is dark, and 10 hours later, I behold a darkened sky and a shimmering moonlit ocean. Two nights ago a large hovering cloud-mass hung overhead, long after sunset. I stepped onto the balcony for a last look before I snuggled-in for the night. There I beheld - a grace moment. A small circular 'hole' in the clouds allowed the moon's rays to plunge downward, casting a small circular spotlight on the ocean's surface, halfway to horizon's edge. To me, it spoke of the Almighty, a sign of God's presence. The site held me captive for a good long while before I padded off to bed with the words of Amazing Grace ringing in my soul - a song most poignant with memory for me. I recalled with wonder and warmth a moment in my life when visiting Peter Island - of Sir Francis Drake Channel-Caribbean fame. On that evening, forever etched in my mind, I stood at midnite on a secluded mountaintop with 6 dear ones, listening to a native-of-the-island lift his voice to the heaven in song - the same song - as a full moon sent a million diamonds scattering across the ocean and a gentle wind blew my hair, face lifted to the great Creator. I need say no more.






About 10 weeks ago, I stood at a spot in Wyoming where an invisible line was drawn in the earth. On one side of the line, all water drained eastward, and on the other all water seeped away in a westerly direction. This line is called, 'The Great Divide' on geography maps. It was a rather profound thing to contemplate as i stood there. There was nothing totally captivating in the 'picture' of this area, but the spot held a great significance. The great divide has taken on a new meaning this week as I have gazed relentlessly out my condo window. Asians are well versed in the ying and yang of life. The word 'balance' comes to mind. This concept has fixated me for many a year. Some do the 'balance thing' better than others. Usually there is a consequence to 'out of balance' life issues. This, I will let you ponder on your own. For me, I will declare that this is among the more important of my daily life goals. How successful I am, I must say, fluctuates more than I would wish, but a goal has a boatload of worth! The balance I am most intuned to on this pilgrimage has to do with 'giving and receiving'. Art gift and outward-in hospitality, my common denominators for this traveler.







Tonight I have a fisherman and 'his line' in sight. So carefully he baits the hook, wades into the surf, pauses, pulling back his rod and with a gentle swing, out flies the line, a gesture of intention - a hope to reel in 'the gift - the catch'. Down the line of beach a young gent has reeled in his catch - a warm embrace for the lucky lady. Together they face the horizon, an evening of closeness. Ahhhh. Perhaps the same should be for me, again, some day. For now, the nurture of nature warms my soul - the knowledge of God's embrace is enough.








So slowly the sky grows darker, the horizon fainter. The south sky turns from baby-butt pink to cherry blossom to brandywine. A fading, fading and a return to blueberry skin and pewter until nothingness - a perfect balance - the horizon is lost to blackness. The moon is in hiding, until later, when once more, the reflected light will give birth to the glittered nighttime striation of waves. And God divided the day and the night. And another day.




Intothewind,

Naturegirl