Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Where the Forest Meets the Sea



This summer Wayne and I spent a week at a beach house on the Oregon Coast. We tromped and traipsed through hill and vail, bays and beaches. We climbed forested paths, heavy with ferns and trickling water, to photograph lighthouses. We rummaged through the produce at country fruit stands, and gathered fresh flowers from fields ripe with dahlias and sunflowers. We dined at some of the local pubs and cafes and tasted some mighty savory dishes.

There were days that the shore was lost in the fog. On a day when the drizzle turned to droplets, we spent the afternoon sharing a picnic of cheese, chubby pretzels, and peaches under a canopy in the rain. The weather wasn't always perfect, but it was all delightful.

I am in awe of that lucious land. I love the motto for the Oregon Coast..."Where the Forest Meets the Sea". That is perfectly descriptive. Giant pines and oaks do come to the very edge of the cliffs where the salty ocean sends great sprays of water to mist the feet of the trees.

I was thinking last night as I watched my husband sitting in an overstuffed chair reading the last few chapters of a book, how like the forest and the sea he and I are.

Our lives are not intermingled. They touch nearly everywhere, but each of us has remained individual entities with our own strengths, our own flavors. What beauty can be found in us is our own. But, neither of us would be as complete without the other. I move towards him constantly throughout each and every day, sometimes with a mood of tranquility and peace, sometimes with turbulence and a spirit of unrest. He always accepts me however I come to him. While I seem to be constantly changing, he is always stalwart, standing steady, slowly and continually growing toward the heavens.

Like the time spent on the coastline, my analogy isn't perfect. It is as many faceted as the prisms that gleam from the Heceta Lighthouse. I don't intend to delve into it too deeply here...although I did spend a good deal of time milling over the similarities this morning in that space between sleep and awakening.

Let me just repeat how entranced I became with Oregon, and how I enjoyed the slow motion days spent there. And let me also say, how entranced I am with this giant of a man who shelters my life... and how I gather something from the shores of his soul every time his forest and my sea meet.

34 comments:

Kay said...

Oh welcome back Caryn, we all missed you. This is such a beautiful love letter to your husband. You did show it to him, I hope. You are both such beautiful people apart and together.

Jean said...

Been waitin' so, so long for a new post from you, and this one doesn't disappoint. I love the Oregon coast, too, although I've been there only once. It's very different from the Maine coast. And I love the analogy with the relationship you have with your husband. Beautifully expressed. I can only hope that while you've been away from us, you've been working on your book. Huh? Huh?

Cheryl said...

Delighted to see you are back. What beautiful thoughts you have shared with us. So much love and devotion show through. What a visit to Oregon you had as well, sounds heavenly!

Terri Tiffany said...

Wow--you wrote this so beautifully! Such an analogy and so detailed that I could picture myself there--with a touch of romance! We've driven up through Oregon before and it is as lovely as you say:)

Carrie and Shane said...

I'm glad you're back to being a blogger again...still missin' Chandi:)
Yes, the Oregon Coast is BEAUTIFUL! Just as is the way you wrote about. I love the analogy. Nothing like a beautiful coastline to get the creative juices flowing.

Brenda @ Its A Beautiful Life said...

You know how we often will catch glimpses of the Divine One when we look at one another?

Well, methinks you and your Wayne portray a beautiful image of Jesus and our relationship with him when we trust him.

Let me show you what I mean, Caryn, using your own words...

We move towards Him constantly throughout each and every day, sometimes with a mood of tranquility and peace, sometimes with turbulence and a spirit of unrest. He always accepts me however I come to Him. While I seem to be constantly changing, He is always stalwart, standing steady, slowly and continually growing toward the heavens."

Thanks for a lovely insight into your beautiful relationship!!

Jo, a retired teacher said...

Another thoughtful and moving post, Caryn.

You and your husband seem to share a very special relationship, which you can verbalize so eloquently.

I've never been to Oregon, but now I'll have to put it on my list.

Great Grandma Lin said...

wow, we are all thrilled you are back. You were missed by many. lovely thoughts and great photos. keep the creative juices going, your audience awaits....

The Coy's said...

I love your posts! They are always so inspirational, funny, and exciting! I hope i can be more like you Aunt Caryn in so many ways!!

SandyCarlson said...

You convince me we would all do well to go West for a while.

I loved your analogy about yourself and your husband. Made me think that, just as a wave is a part of the ocean, a wave is not the ocean.

Thanks for the beautiful thought.

Linda Reeder said...

I spent most of the day crawling around on the wet, cold ground, doing the fall clean up in the garden. Tom was there too. We discussed who would do what first. We would work in separate areas and then reconnect. This is heavy, hard work, and when I would get tired and discouraged at how slowly it seemed to go, I would get irritated and want to be rescued. Tom is so much more the slow and steady one. Sometimes he did come to my rescue, and we finished the day working side by side to complete the task.
So I can identify with your analogy,and I can identify with the Oregon coast, a place I love so well. They are both beautiful.

Hallie said...

I love reading your posts, I hope you don't mind. Your still as amazing as I remember.

Deborah Godin said...

Loved the photos and your notes, your witness to nature and to love.

Mare said...

I would love a chance to have what you and your husband share together. What a blessing!
Happy that you are back, and yes we are still good buds regardless of your pagentry knowledge first hand. It's the Jon Benet Ramsey dress up stuff that makes me crazy!

dellgirl said...

Your poetry lulls me, it's like reading my favorites of my high school and college years -- Poe, Longfellow, Dickinson and the other masters. Lady you turn a phrase like most of us breathe fresh air. I love reading your work, mind you, they are "works", not just blog posts.

This is beautiful, Caryn.

dellgirl said...

I hope you are doing well and everything is going okay.

I'm just popping in to wish you a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Jade said...

wow.

Mare said...

As I text my son after too much time has elapsed...CIA [call in alive!!]What's up with you these days? Hope all is ok.

Kay said...

Merry Christmas, Caryn! I know you're busy but I just wanted to stop by and wish you a wonderful holiday season.

dellgirl said...

Stopping back in to see what's new. I hope you are having tons of fun while you are away.

Happy New Year, Caryn. My best wishes to you and the family for a terrific 2010!

dellgirl said...

Me again!

Just checking on you, hope you're having fun and everything is okay.

I just wanted to say "hi".

Brenda @ Its A Beautiful Life said...

Hi Caryn, We've been missing you and thinking about you. Hope you're doing well. Just wanted to say hi on this Feb 6th of 2010.

Sylvia K said...

What a beautiful, wonderful post, Caryn! I'm glad you enjoyed Oregon, I lived there for 16 years and loved it -- as I love where I live in Washington -- just love the northwest! I also love the beautiful and very moving love letter to your husband! How blessed you are to have one another and to recognize it at the same time. Doesn't happen that way for a lot of us. Thanks for your visit today. I have missed seeing/hearing from you.

Have a beautiful evening!

Sylvia

dellgirl said...

Hi Caryn, it's me again. Stopping by to check on you and say "hi".

Sure do miss you and think of you often. I'll check in again.

Jo, a retired teacher said...

Caryn, I miss your lovely posts. Don't worry, I never correct anyone's grammar who doesn't ask me to.

If you are interested in more of my rather conservative opinions, they are on my other blog.

Jocelyn Christensen said...

What a cool post! I hope you'll post again soon! Thank you for your comment on my "Spring" post...I agree with you. Autumn rules! (I even have a daughter with that name...Autumn Frost! But after a long, cold Winter...Spring is second to none! :)

Janie B said...

Hello! I'm so glad you visited my blog because you really uplifted me with your kind words about my art. Yes, the raised hands is one of my paintings, too. I wanted to paint what I see every day at school. You are so right about grandchildren. I'm really loving little Max and can't wait for the two that my two daughters are having in the fall. Thanks for the visit. I hope you will return. You have a beautiful blog, which I am now following.

KathyA said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog and posting a comment! Of course you are welcome to stop by and no, we don't know each other, but, I respect your opinions and your right to have those opinions.
By the looks of these photos you live in paradise!

KathyA said...

Re-read and realized you were VISITING paradise. How lucky you are!

Jean said...

Just found your Snippety Clippets site. What beautiful items!

kissti17 said...

Beautiful...

Kay said...

Oh darn! I thought you were back to posting... Ah well...

I got my Caryn fix from reading Lin's blog and seeing photos of you. That was loads of fun and it felt like you were back. I hope winter is kind to you and everybody on the mainland. This past one was sure rough.

Our woodsy friend said that because there were so many acorns, she's forecasting a cold winter. I wish I could send you all some Hawaiian warmth and sunshine.

Carol Lee said...

The pictures are serene and instantly makes you feel you are in harmony with nature. Place like this should be nurtured.

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avecwings said...

soooperb thoughts...
ur words have moved me.
the sea and the forest..beautiful