In The Shallows Of False Bay
The Beauty Of Finding Rhythm With The Natural World
by Eric Elkin
“There is one God the Father.
All things come from him, and we belong to him.
And there is one Lord Jesus Christ.
All things exist through him, and we live through him.”
The sea remains a relatively unknown world to humans. It seems remarkable that 80% of the earth's oceans remain unexplored after two million years of human existence. You would think on a plant where two-thirds of the surface is water, this would not be the case. Yet, we know more about the moon's surface than we do about the Atlantic Ocean's depths.
Perhaps, our understanding of life in the oceans says something about us as people. We are good at surface knowledge, but things of depth remain elusive. Regardless, I find myself fascinated by how much of the visible world remains invisible to us. These thoughts came to my mind as Peg and I watched the nature documentary, My Octopus Teacher.
Craig Foster, the feature character, introduces himself as a man searching for a center. As a filmmaker, he had thrown himself so entirely into his work that it began to consume his life. His work life eroded his relationship with his son and his own sense of identity. So he returned to False Bay, near Cape Town, South Africa, a place of his youth, to take a break.
We watch his journey of restoration to life and living. This journey begins when Foster decides to snorkel in the shallow waters of False Bay. The water reminds him of his childhood fascination with exploration. He discovers the joy of simply living in harmony with his surroundings. More importantly, he finds peace being connected to the rhythms of the natural world.
“You feel alive, you feel awake, you feel stimulated. But because you can feel that water on your skin, you can feel the slight temperature differences, you feel much closer to nature.”
Simplicity, it seems to me, is the first step in our search for wholeness. Yet, the world is often too complex to let us rest permanently in this state. The more enduring path is finding a harmonious rhythm in how we live. A lesson, I believe, Foster learned from the "octopus teacher."
This passage from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians is somewhat strange to modern ears. Most people I know do not make sacrifices of any kind of meat to a god. Still, I can hear the tension of the contemporary world in these words. We still battle over true and false gods. People of faith still argue over appropriate behavior. Then there is always someone telling us we are worshipping idols.
What I find comforting is the subtle reminder Paul weaves into the middle of this debate. "There is one God…All things exist through [God], and we live through [God.]" The "octopus teacher" understands this better than you and I. She swam in False Bay's shallows and never once thought about a true God or a false one. Her world was beautiful and rich. If you watch the documentary, you will know what I mean.
Our world is rich and beautiful as well. Unfortunately, too often, worthless arguments about false gods and right behavior get in the way of our seeing it. When we can find a rhythm with our natural world, we clearly see the blessing through the foolishness. You do not need to swim with an octopus to find this rhythm. It can be yours by simply reminding yourself, "All things exist through [God], and we live through [God.]" Then give thanks that we get to live in this truth.
Click to read 1 Corinthians 8: 1-13
Reflection Questions:
What invisible world do you find fascinating?
How does visible reality stand in the way of seeing the invisible?
Where do you find yourself out of rhythm?
What can you do to find a healthy rhythm in life?
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