Asilomar State Beach, California
There’s a famous story of Christopher Columbus landing in the new world. Even though he anchored his ships in the bay in plain sight, the indigenous population couldn’t see them. They’d never seen a tall ship or anything like it, so it’s thought they were unable to perceive them. The story may be inaccurate, but it stuck with me. The idea that I may not see something, only because I don’t know I can see it, haunts me. Of course, I shrouded all of this in mysticism and began to ask myself what cosmic realities am I missing.
Instead of looking outside myself for an answer, or looking inside and rummaging through my thoughts, maybe there’s a third way. Maybe there’s a way to feel with heart and mind, a form of receiving, a shared consciousness, a connection with the natural world and what she’s trying to tell me, a way of seeing people with a deeper understanding. Maybe there’s some peace in all of this. And perhaps, I can begin to recognize a ship in the bay.