Tsunami Watch

Sitting in a rocking chair at my sister and cousin’s house watching the unpredicted rain, feeling the silent crisp air, gazing at the flock after flock of seagulls headed out to sea. Do they know something we don’t know? Will the tide retreat? Will the waves mount? Are the helicopters surveying? Is Mother Earth mad? Will there be an earthquake? Will I get Covid-19: The Omicron again? Should I cancel my flight to New York at the end of the month? Should I continue to order groceries online vs. shop in person? Will my knee get better? Will I hike again? Will I ever have enough money so I don’t have to worry? Will it all work out? Will I work out? Will life ever be better than normal again?

Why am I thinking these thoughts? I know. It’s the clouds over the horizon. It’s the violet blue sea. It’s the tsunami watch I never remember being warned of before. It’s the silence. It’s the alone. It’s being reminded of, once again, to cherish the day. We may be in charge of a lot, but we ain’t gonna harness Madame Nature.

Which leaves us all with taking a breath. Being kind to ourselves and others. Respecting the gift God has given us. Our highest potential. The Earth’s beautiful home with all her lovely creatures.

What would we say if IT happened? The tsunami. Would we run for our lives? Push people out of the way? Save ourselves? Claw our way to the top, to hell with others?

I mean, what is happening to our beloved world, the part we’re in charge of? Interactions. Conversations. Love. Civility. Mutual respect.

If today was my last day, or yours, what would my legacy be?

Turns out, most of my daily conversations and thoughts are, in the grand scheme of things, meaningless wisps of air.

The Big Picture is a stop watch with a beginning, middle and end. It’s a collage of moments and meaningful decisions that we ARE in charge of. The sound of the sea gulls dancing in the wind. The expanding pink sunset stretching toward the Tongan people who today have more worries to consider than they did yesterday. Our brotherhood and sisterhood. Our connections.

And those damn dividers. Those that seek to pull us apart. They have something to gain from our division, from our turbulence. They are the enemy. Not us. We are a family and families don’t abandon each other in times of need. We get closer. We need each other now more than ever.