I recently had the privilege of traveling to Puerto Rico. While there, I had an amazing experience kayaking in one of the few bioluminescent bodies of water in the world. This one was La Laguna Grande - you can look it up if you want the scientific explanation as to how and why the microscopic, single-celled dinoflagellates light up when agitated by movement.
Let me just mention that this was my first experience with kayaking, which I found to be both challenging and instructive. I enjoyed using my body and brain together to achieve a goal. I also enjoyed the teambuilding aspect of it as I shared a kayak with a coworker. There were elements of trust, partnership, leadership, and cooperation involved. At one point, I realized that it was not unlike other physical activities that two humans share together, like ballroom dancing and making love. It requires a certain amount of coordination and intention, mixed with a certain amount of flexibility and free expression. Focus and flow. If you have an individualistic mindset, your results are going to probably come more slowly (if at all), and you will garner a lot of frustration and disagreement along the way.
There was something a little scary about being out on the water during the dark of night, having only a glow bracelet on the kayak in front of you to follow. From time to time, we'd bump into low trees back in the narrow channels of water, and even get stuck on the shoreline. So it required a certain level of bravery and faith. And about the time you built up a little confidence and courage....that's when the miraculous part of the adventure happened.
As the oar made contact with the water, it blazed a trail of glowing luminescence in the water. It was beautiful, amazing!! Curiosity thrust my hand into the water, and as I gently stroked the water, I left a temporary mark of glowing finger trails in the water. Splashing the water on your legs left a fleeting bit of glowing "paint" splattered on your skin. It was awesome!!!!!
Now....if you'll bear with me, here's where the metaphoric part of the experience comes, as well as the personal aspect of the adventure that I created for myself.
About a year ago, I was engaged to be married. The engagement and the relationship turned out to be less durable than the Titanium wedding band I'd purchased for him. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts at selling the ring (gold is what's popular now I guess), I decided I'd unload it by taking it to Puerto Rico and leaving it there. I took it to the bio bay that night. And as I relied upon my new kayaking skills, the instruction of a stranger, the partnership of a colleague, and the light of the moon to help me find my way....I felt an immeasurable swell of peace. In one of the darkest bends of the narrow channel of water, I slipped that ring off of my thumb. I felt conflicted about what I was about to do. In some ways it seemed unnecessary, wasteful. I consciously thought to myself "You need to let go of this hurt and this pain. You need to believe that God is not going to let you tip over into murky water or leave you washed up on the shore. He's given you just enough light to navigate on the water. He's given you a capable leader. He has shown you that what at first seems scary and insurmountable can turn out to be peaceful, beautiful, and awe-inspiring."
When that ring hit the water, it created a momentary glow that emanated up through the water as the ring spiraled down before coming to rest. It was rather beautiful.
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