Finding the Carefree Horizon Across the Seasons of Life
Sitting here in my comfortable home near Laguna Beach on a beautiful Saturday morning while the rest of the family is running a garage sale, I started reminiscing about this past week as it has been completely full of life changing events, as well as old memories and new, some in picture form, some just deep in my mind, all more than mere coincidences. During the week while I watched some interesting videos posted on YouTube over various days from drones and closeup views of the relentless undercurrent of the ocean effortlessly rearranging the entire shoreline, I took many screenshots. Unbelievable aerial views tracking the physical coast along the Pacific Coast Highway right under a beautiful, brilliant, and cloudless sapphire-blue sky. Massive turquoise waves were slamming directly against the solid glass balconies and concrete pillars of multi-million-dollar luxury estates in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach; the route I drove many times to and from work.
Watching the Laguna Beach shoreline changing shape under a clear blue sky and bright sunlight and how so much of what we became used to over the years is changing before our eyes. It is really hard to process the enormity of what is happening. My thoughts go back 34 years ago when we said goodbye to my mother, shortly after my father wanted to go to Cape Cod in the Tucker Inn on Wheels to where we spent our summers growing up. Talking about change, other than the fact it was a very cold snowy weekend in November, the Coast Guard Beach was gone, no longer the beach or parking lot we walked, and swam, riding the wave, getting sunburned as kids. That day it was stormy, dark and cold and no shoreline to walk. And this past Monday, we celebrated a young girl’s 9th birthday. I turned to Ecclesiastes to chapter 3 but stopped at Ecclesiastes 1:4 ESV.
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
The absolute, timeless macrophysics of the universe were quite apparent to me as I also realized, I am no longer the young mother and daughter taking care of my aging parents, I am the aging parent now! Though I have to admit while it is enjoyable to watch my grandchildren grow up, it sure isn’t easy as my body ages and just won’t do what it used to do. Hardest of all is needing help with somethings. I like to think experiencing and knowing what it was like, I can make it easier on my children. Sometimes I have to laugh to myself hearing their friends talking about their aging parents and frustrations they have and yet want to scream out she is still your mother and he is still your father, be patient, and these just may turn out to be the best years you ever had with your parents. Human generations will constantly swing back and forth like a corporate pendulum–shifting, transitioning, and passing away.
It was also eerie watching the videos from surfers through their drones, the sky clear blue, the sun shining brightly, as the Creator/Loving Pursuer seemed to be changing the whole shoreline and multi-million-dollar homes and businesses with a smile on His face! In King Solomon’s own words found in Ecclesiastes 1:4 ” …but the earth remains forever” I believe the definition of forever still remains the same as in King Solomon’s time. Modern day prophecy buffs cannot explain that one, so they just scream louder and increase the fear porn that we are in the end times, and the earth is going to be destroyed by fire. When in doubt, go back to Day 5 of creation and study the sand dollar, the calcium carbonate the Creator made the day before man was created in His image.
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