When the tide of our life goes creeping out far away from the shoreline, that which we knew and held onto so tightly, slowly slips away. Then we sit. Wondering when the tide will turn and make its way back to the shore. When will it advance and cover over and smooth out all the painful marks we made on the sandbar? This waiting time is called the ebb tide. The water just sits quietly, moving neither in nor out, with quiet, almost silent, lapping waves.
The ebb tides of our lives are times that we, just like the water, must sit quiet. We must wait to feel forward movement again. We must listen to the stillness of the of the water. Time to huddle up, sit down on the sand, grab our knees in close, and just watch the horizon, wait, and listen for God and the universe to speak. Ebb tide is a time to quiet ourselves and pay attention to what we need – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Take the time to take care of ourselves as we prepare to pick up the pieces of our losses. Self-cultivation is self-preservation; the essence of the ebb tide.
When that tide begins to come back in, the waves will begin pounding with a vengeance as the water makes it way back up on the beach. My bed is against the wall that faces the ocean. The other night I was lying there watching tv, when I felt a constant thud and swooshing right behind my head. I couldn’t believe that was the surf. I’m at least 300 feet from the shore with a marsh in between, so it was hard to believe I could feel the tide coming in behind my head while lying in bed. I muted the tv and got up and opened the window. Sure enough, it was the tide coming in. Those waves were pounding the sand with such a force, I could feel the vibration standing in my bedroom.
We have to use the ebb tide to prepare for this. You can feel a subtle energy build during ebb tide. It’s preparation for what is to come. When that tide begins to race toward shore, major shifts and life changes will come at lightening speed. That is why ebb tide is so important. It can’t be rushed and it should be embraced as a time of great self-care.
I don’t know if you have ever heard of the prayer of Jabez. It’s a tiny book, with a powerful 4 line prayer in it. About seven years ago, when my tide was going out, a friend told me about it. She told me if you pray this prayer everyday, look out, because God will change your life drastically. A week later the book arrived in the mail. She sent it to me. I started to pray the prayer. I sat praying it in ebb tide for quite awhile. Then, all of a sudden the tide turned and started coming back in. The lives of my whole family were upended and changed. The changes were so powerful and pronounced, that my children asked me to stop “praying that prayer!”. I refused, and it’s been quite a ride for all of us, for seven years.
This time last year my tide started to go back out again. It slipped away slowly for about a year now. When the calendar turned to 2011, it was so far out I couldn’t see the shoreline. I also realized somewhere around that time I had stopped praying the prayer.
Now, I am sitting in ebb tide once more. I have been reminded about that prayer by another friend. I am praying it again. I am sitting quiet on the sand, hugging my knees. I am staring at the horizon. I am listening. I am getting ready. I can feel the energy building. I need to be strong and ready when that tide comes back in, because, like I tell anyone who begins to pray this prayer, get ready for the ride of your life.
And so, as another day goes by, the ocean is quiet for now, and….I have written.
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