Monday, March 22, 2010

To the Lighthouse and Beyond


Last night, before I went to bed, I walked through the darkened kitchen of my temporary home here on the Atlantic and looked again at the lighthouse off in the distance sitting at the end of a promontory. How wonderful to find myself here, at this time in my life, apparently very ready for this experience, knowing it will yield moment after moment of new beauty, day after day a new awareness.




This is my first day here on the beach. I spent a week at a friends home, about an hour off the coast. It was a peaceful time of good conversation, walks in the Maine woods with two of the finest golden retrievers on this planet, day trips to Freeport, Kennebunkport, and Congress Street in Portland, as well as drives down a labyrinth of back roads. It made for a really nice week.




 As I write these words, from my kitchen table overlooking the beach, the sunlight is peeking through and lighting up the water; small waves roll onto the shore. My kitchen window is framed by pine trees. Just beyond is grass covered dunes and seven miles of sand beach. The old picket fence below is lined with lobster buoys of all colors, shapes and sizes. A lone walker passes by on the beach.


Yesterday afternoon was spent settling in here and getting a feel for this new place. As evening fell into night through the sounds of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," and Louis Armstrong's, "What a Wonderful World," I felt the gentle tug of sleep. I had been looking forward to my first night here, to lying down with the sound of the waves outside my window. As I drifted off, I heard the soft whistle of a train going by a couple of blocks away. Falling asleep between that familiar sound of a train and the new sound of waves on the beach can only be described as magical. It was as though my life was making a turn into something new, but bringing with it the best moments of my past to help me make the turn and carry me forward with all that's truly good.


The water is calling me for a walk along its shores. I want to feel that same sense of infinity I feel when looking at the night sky, to feel the mysteries of the Universe. As I look across the water and see the horizon with the promise of infinite goodness unfolding before me, I am filled with joy and gratitude. To paraphrase Anne Morrow Lindbergh and her Gift From the Sea, there's a quiet anticipation as I open this gift, this gift of the sea. Tonight, I will once again walk through my darkened kitchen and see the lighthouse sending out its beam of light, guiding ships and souls to port. I'm learning that home truly is where the heart is, that heart of hearts that we carry inside, that speaks to us through that quiet Knowing that we have arrived exactly where we're supposed to be at this particular moment in time. It's going to be great fun.









19 comments:

  1. Teresa, your temporary home is truly beautiful, the view truly extrodinary and the combination radiates peace and tranquility and restful karma laced with tomorrow's promise. Your inner GPS system has definitely brought you to the right place...I'm looking forward to reading what mysteries you find here, what hidden beauties others have either overlooked or ignored. Sleep well.

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  2. Oh wow. How magnificent! How long will you be here at this little slice of creative Heaven? It's so lovely! I can't wait for more posts, more photographs, and more peaceful energy flowing from Maine. Love you Teresa.

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  3. Kittie: "restful karma"...I like that idea and it feels right. Thank you. My first night held some very interesting dreams.

    Kristy: you are so dear. I will be here through April and possibly until mid-May. Then...? Life keeps getting better and better...doesn't it?

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  4. Oh, my, Teresa. How lovely! Both the words and the photos. We'll be in Maine for two weeks in September, but your blog today makes me want to go there RIGHT NOW!

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  5. Beautiful! Wish I could be there! We will see. If not more adventures to come!

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  6. I wish you were here, too! Many adventures to come for both of us!

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  7. Its amazing in life how you can look at a view and have that Zen moment. Like you will never be in another place and or another moment and have that feeling......The older I get the more moments like that ...that I feel....

    The Black Widow

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  8. Each Moment is the Now, the only moment there really is. It's getting easier to live that way and it feels nice. Thanks for visiting and commenting. I like reading your perspective on life.

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  9. I've always wanted to visit Maine since that is where I was born while my dad was stationed in the air force. Looks like a beautiful place to revive the soul. Enjoy your journey. :)

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  10. Linda: I hope you enjoy Maine as much as I am. It's a beautiful place.

    LB: Thank you for the nice thoughts.

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  11. Wow! And, here I thought that you were in Minnesota; guess we won't meet for awhile. Re. Ed Larson: this was the surprise I was going to send you, but I never got your email address.

    Your photos of this natural wonder are wonderful and your description of your new haven is also a joy to read.

    I hope that you find the inspiration and peace here that is so essential to daily life and creativity.

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  12. Kate! I wrote you an email several days ago. Sounds like you didn't get it :( I was so happy to hear that you went back and connected with Ed. I had a feeling... I will probably be back in Minn. mid-May...we shall see...

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  13. What a beautiful place and the photos and your description put me right there with you....how awesome. Enjoy!

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  14. Talk about understatement -- end of a really nice week. Then, you write on to describe the idyllic ocean-front place that has me wanting to pack up the wife, horses, and pets in the stock trailer and come thither. Forget hither, I want thither. That place sounds so enveloping that wine is not needed. But, then again....Many fine sentences here, Teresa. And, beautiful photographs. --Jack, stunned.

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  15. Jack! What a lovely thought, to share it with you, Brenda, your ponies and pets. Tonight I will raise a glass of wine to celebrate; celebrate knowing the geographic distance between us is no distance at all. Cheers to this big, beautiful Life! Glad to be sharing it with you!

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  16. What a wonderful place. And the photos are great. They all have a mystic quality to them, at least to me. It makes me want to visit. I've never been to Maine, but will have to remedy that.

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  17. Thanks for visiting my blog, Christopher! Now, I've found yours! And, it's very nice. I Love the magic found in our everyday lives.

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  18. Happily catching up with your journey. What a perfect restorative spot. The sea light drifting in through the windows calms me waaaay over here. Lovely.

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