Bonaire

A Generational Splash

We had a chance to go a family trip to the Dutch island of Bonaire, which brought the theme of my new book Passing Guests: Spiritual Musings on the Seasons of Faith to the fore.

First, a reflection on my own “autumn season”:

My personal goal was to dive the aqua blue coral reefs of Bonaire which represent the most protected waters in the Caribbean Sea. The challenges of reaching the island were well met with beautiful reefs of soft corals and an abundance of small fish shining like stars against the turquoise waters of the deeper seas. The usual suspects of turtles, tarpon, jacks, queen angels, eels, and lobsters were plentiful throughout the dives too. For me, the “autumn season” reflects the beauty of a relaxed pace without the hustle and bustle of earlier frenetic times.

Second, I observed my adult children in the prime of their “summer season”:

Lots of energy, enthused conversation, and plenty of time in summer activities such as snorkelling, swimming, sunshine and an appreciation of a fine palette. On a deeper level there is engagement with work projects in education, artistic endeavours, script writing, and film production. It’s a time of good work, the setting of concrete goals, and a revelling in both personal and collective achievements.

Third, my grandchildren are squarely in the “springtime of life”:

Youthful exuberance and a multitude of playful interests and games. Their days are filled with laughter, joy, unending energy, and smiling faces. Optimistic outlooks, eyes and hearts full of compassion, dreams both expansive and endless. Opportunities for play, sports, music, dance and friends. A time of creative expression, a cultivation of new skills, and the development of talents. It’s all about growth.

Fourth, I note that old man “winter” is not too far behind:

Not so apparent at first in a place where the summer never ends, but winter makes itself known through our aching bones, painful falls, and the creeping passage of time. Snowfalls can be mesmerizing but also terrifying even as winter can be a time of solace or a freezing of hearts, souls, and minds.

The invitation for all of us (whether in Bonaire, Toronto, or L.A.) is to drill deep into our lives no matter where we find ourselves. No matter the season—winter, spring, summer or fall. What is God saying to us in this moment of time? In our here and now, can we hear the Divine Voice and be responsive to the clarion call?

Our lives are unique. No one else can do what we are called to do. The challenge and the joy is to keep saying “yes” within our Creator/creature relationship. It is in this “doing” that our deepest currents of life are realized.

May these words from “Passing Guests” prime the pump of our listening heart:

The seasons are both a physical reality persons experience and a metaphor for their spiritual journeys. The days are not all the same; as varied as the seasons, they come and go, carrying with them a mixture of calm and stormy periods, of pain and pleasure, of light and dark. The voyage of life is replete with the accompanying emotions and sensations, whether joyful or despairing. . .

Attending to the seasons, with their own rhythms and colours, provides a helpful conduit for a journey into deeper things—a spiritual exploration, one might say.

Listen closely to your heart. In doing so you will hear the heartbeat of God (2 Samuel 7:21).