October Surprise Helps Grace Arise

     Oh my gosh, I must be really out of it. I looked out the window here in Michigan.
     "Oh, look! It's raining," I said.
     My daughter and son-in-law look out at the view.
     "No, that's not rain, Mom," my daughter responded.
     "Oh, is it the stuff from the trees?" I quickly corrected myself, looking at the forest that abuts their property.
      "Noooo, Mom. That's snow. Do you remember snow?" she asked teasingly.
      I am so not ready to be looking out the window and seeing snow falling.
      It's over now. Thank goodness.
      The chilly temps of this Michigan day converted the clouds' weeping to a new form of water.  The inverse seems to happen  in our prayer times when we lift the heaviness in our hearts to God who draws it into the heavenly warmth of His loving thermals and dissipates it into wispy clouds of lightness and relief. We don't know why we feel lighter afterwards. Or perhaps we simply don't remember what snow is.

Who are You Below the Surface?

Living on the water has its benefits.  Daily reminders to pay attention to what lies below the surface of things occur sometimes hourly as mullets jump, schools of fish shimmer their scales in the sun, and dolphin fins pop up like toast.

Every person we walk by, sit beside, work or live with is the same: a depth of memories and emotions that shimmer and pop up unannounced looking for nourishment or company. Or a breath of fresh air.

Search below the surface of a familiar face today. What don't you know about them? What assumptions may prove false? Enrich your life with a deep conversation. Put a tantalizing bait on the tip of your tongue, throw out a question into the depths of a friend or co-worker, and wait with calm compassion to see if you catch anything. 

There's a lot of good soul out there today. Some need to be caught. Even only for a moment.  Some moments last a lifetime and change you forever. Feel like fishing today? See a shimmer in someone?