We often think that we’re thinking objectively. The reality is that we aren’t.
During my quiet time today, I read The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman, recommended by Amber Finkelstein, who I believe is a master at framing the written word. A quote from Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick struck me: “Methinks that in looking at things spiritually, we are too much like oysters observing the sun through water, and thinking that thick water the thinnest of air.” This reminded me of my submarine tour off the coast of Mexico this past spring.
The experience was magical. The fish, coral, white sand, blue water, and shipwrecks were mesmerizing. Three-quarters of the way through the tour, we were asked to compare colors on the wall with and without the submarine lights. The difference was astonishing.
What would it look like to see this world without a 100 feet of blue water and/or more sunlight? It would be even more phenomenal. Our environment is part of the recipe that informs how we see things. It’s not always as accurate as we think it is.
The quote also resonated with me because I had similar thoughts when I first learned to snorkel. The ocean reminds me of the spiritual world. We meet at the surface and co-exist however the world of the ocean contains mysteries. If I want to experience it, I need to learn some skills.
- I had to breathe differently and commit to not panicking, so I could focus on intentional breaths.
- I needed different lenses to see clearly. Also it will look different depending on the access of sunlight.
- Staying underwater too long could be dangerous, reminding me that I’m made for land and need to accept that.
- There are mysteries I’ll never fully understand, and that’s okay. Just because I see it and can experience it some, doesn’t mean I will ever fully get to the depth of its mysteries and that is okay. The spiritual world has mysteries and I get to be secure with that.
- I can’t control the ocean; I must respect it and coexist with it. We can co-exist with interdependence. I am so small in comparison, it’s silly for me to think that it will do as I dictate.
A gift in my life has been anchoring my faith in science. The more I study science, the richer my faith becomes. For those that more bent this way- here is the graph of what happens to the colors of light as you add in water between you and that light.
P.S. Thank you Clarence Butler, my godson, for taking photos of the rainbow strip in the submarine. Teamwork makes the dream work!
