“When the pond mirrors the sky, Its soft blue sheen flawless, The pond will reveal its hidden life, A sign for you to dip your hand.” --
Vic Klimosky, former director of the Benedictine Center at St. Paul’s Monastery, St. Paul, MN
The other day, while gazing out at Lake Superior, waiting
for some sign of spring to arrive, I noticed a small flock of golden-eye ducks
seemingly floating – one upon another—on the lake. It was reflection of course,
but one rarely seen on our perpetually turbulent lake. Only the day before, the
lake had been turgid with the runoff from wild rivers racing downhill, filled
with snowmelt, mud, and debris. But that day, the lake was blue. The waters
totally silent. The silt settled to the bottom, allowing the lake to reflect
the immense sky above and the small creatures cruising upon it. Even more amazing was the clarity of the lake's waters. Each rock on the lake bottom next to our shoreline was revealed in all its amazing beauty and color. They were visible for a good 300 feet from the shoreline -- a phenomenon that I'd never witness before. A perfect
metaphor for the messiness of our lives, which … given room to quiet … can
assume the same clarity reflective and reflective qualities.
