Purity of Soul 

       Nothing touches the soul quite like a surging wash of foamy surf, later trickling through the crystal grains of sand on its outflow. The wash of the ocean's energy seems to purify my soul and wash away all the debris. The Pacific pacifies, empowers, and pares away pretenses, leaving only purity of soul. During our recent visit to Manzanita, Oregon, I received Three Gifts, much like Anne Morrow Lindberg's Gift from the Sea.

       First was a live sand dollar that swam onto the sand where she presented herself as gift, pure gift. She was whole and complete, and in her simplicity, reflected her purity of soul. She simply was. Second was a pair of Dungeness Crabs, chosen from a pool of live cr abs to be our lunch. Nothing else was necessary, only the white, delicate meat. Pure and simple, no flavorings, sauces, or stuffings. Third was Bill. Now Bill is something else. Bill is a Maine Coon cat who lives his life with purity of soul - if such can be said about a cat. He is a hunter. He goes out early for his morning catch, be it bird, chipmunk, bunny, or lizard. He brings it to the back door to enjoy his rightly reward. Bill expects nothing more, except to hunt and to share his love as a pet. That's what cats do.

       During our outings to the beach, the recurring waves of Pacific foam were reminder of how simple and pure is the soul of creation. It's more than a notion, awakening us to the wide-eyed perception of the vast coast. Vibrations of light painting seascapes of vibrant colors were gifts not only to us photographers but were also gifts to purify the soul.

                                                    ---by Jan