The Sea Gulls Speak
I visited the river this morning for the first time in a week or so. As I arrived, the river was as calm as I've seen it in a while, teeming with a flock of sea gulls. The view was breathtaking, and I snapped a few photos with my inadequate phone camera. I walked down to the boat ramp and watched them, perched on the water, gliding effortlessly as if they were skating on ice. The water was so still I could see all the way down to the riverbed. Periodically, some would lift in flight, but a swath of them remained as if in constant vigil for something only known to them. Gradually, I made my way back up to the cliff where I normally do Loving-kindness meditation. I was able to spend a few minutes in this practice, before an older couple approached to marvel at the beautiful scene before them on this crisp but sunny morning. Normally, I just smile at people who walk by, but for some unexpected reason, we struck up a conversation and we began to talk about the sea gulls. The woman im...