Yes, that is me in the photo - preparing to stick my head under water!

I am not an experienced snorkeler. I am definitely not a good snorkeler. I spat out a lot of sea water, and thrashed about a great deal before I began to get the hang of it. But once I did, I was suspended in a magical world!

Fish - scores of fish! - singly or in schools, colorful and quick, all dwelling in the coral reefs of the Roatan Marine Park, off the coast of Honduras. For a glimpse of what my words cannot describe, click here for a brief video from the park.

Many fish came so close I could almost touch them. However, I never entered fully into their realm.  A snorkeler floats atop the water, still breathing air from the surface. The snorkeler lives at the boundary of two realms. Scuba divers go deeper, immersing fully in the aquatic world.

Most of us, however, live our lives immersed in air, seldom, if ever, peeking below the surface of the world's oceans. For sixty years, I missed a lot; I missed a great delight.

Likewise, few of us immerse ourselves fully in the life of the spirit. Few of us can; we must stay at the surface, going to work, raising the kids, and paying the bills. Yet we can be, if you will, be snorkelers of the spirit. We can dip beneath the surface and at least glimpse holy beauty. If we stay only above the surface of life, living fully in the daily grind, there is much beauty we will miss, much delight we will forgo.

As with snorkeling, prayer and meditation is not easy, at first. There may be discomfort, thrashing, even fear that we are in over our heads. Take courage. Trust that breath will come, that you will be buoyed up. Wonder and delight await.