He who would search for pearls must dive below.
John Dryden
Dive!
I’m not sure I could get geared up about deep sea diving. As in scuba. Going down with all that extra weight. Hoping not to lose my lifeline or come back up too fast.
But I’ve snorkled in the Caribbean.
And the Atlantic, but that’s another story.
My husband and I spent Thanksgiving of 1983 on St. Johns, Cinnamon Bay Campground, Virgin Islands.
We were so excited. We bought personal flippers and masks and snorkels and practiced before the trip. Yes, that’s my husband breathing in the bathtub.
Pretty funny.
Kind of silly.
The intensity of Caribbean blue is breathtaking. I could float on that water forever, gazing at the clouds, simmering in the sun.
But a kaleidoscope of color and life shimmers and swirls under the surface. An ever-changing and fascinating world of creatures and coral and vegetation. Life we’d never see if we stayed on top.
We paddled leisurely around the campground reef and took a tour to the other side of the island to paddle some more. Then we packed up and hopped a seaplane to St. Croix where we snorkeled around Buck Island Reef, one day off a charter boat and the next off a catamaran.
The water was very choppy the first day, and the waves swallowed us, and we learned the hard way how important it was to blow all the saltwater out of the snorkle before we sucked in the good air. We learned that objects, including sharp coral, were closer than they seemed.
But we also discovered that the deep places bleed beauty. When I close my eyes I visualize vibrance. I see brilliant colors and life that vibrates.
I. See. God.
What I would have missed had I stayed on the surface.
What I would miss if I continued to drift through life.
To just skim the superficial.
I don’t want to miss Him.
I want to see Him in all His glory.
In every light sliver.
In every dark place.
In every circumstance.
In every detail of creation.
And I don’t care how silly I look.
I’m blowing out, sucking in, and going down.
Dive!
Where will you dive this week? Are you willing to appear silly?
“The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along.” 1 Corinthians 2:10 (Message)
“the deep places bleed beauty”
Wow, what a quote! Thanks for the insight this post provides. Stay strong!
Thank you, Scott. I’m counting on you to help keep me strong. 🙂
oh sandra, this brought tears. i want this too, friend. hear our prayers, Lord. xo
“the deep places bleed beauty” – Just wonderful. The whole post. Excellent, Sandy.