Looking Back

Spiritually Funding Moments

On a recent dive trip to the nature island Dominica, photographs of giant sperm whales were scattered along the wharfs of Rosseau. These amazing mammals are known as residential whales, living all year long in the deep blue waters of Dominica. As our week of diving came to a close we couldn’t resist the idea of going on a whale tour to see the giant creatures up close. On our final day we hopped on a small craft to go looking for the whales.

Unfortunately, after travelling a mile off shore, our captain stopped the boat and told us that the sperm whales had travelled too far away and we wouldn’t be able to catch them. Of course we were frustrated by this sudden announcement after we had paid and were out at sea, but we managed to restrain ourselves from an act of mutiny! However, the captain did partially redeem himself by suggesting there was a good chance of seeing a pod of pilot whales, the smaller cousins of orcas, that were travelling along the coast.

We resumed our voyage, dismayed to not see the sperm whales, but newly excited to see a new group of water friends coming our way. And indeed we did encounter our new whale friends—wave after wave—perhaps a hundred in all breaking the waters around our small craft, some close enough to touch if we were to try.

The point is we initially went out looking for God’s massive water giants only to find out that wasn’t going to happen. Our initial response was disappointment. But a new possibility emerged—a gift from God—different from what was anticipated, yet finally amazing. It all depends on what we see. As the Irish priest Edward Farrell says, "Do we see what we know or do we know what we see?"

Two lessons learned:

1. A sideways move can still be an exciting venture.

2. When looking back at some experience a spiritually funding moment is often there if we have the eyes to see it.