The Narrow Path

I left the house at about 10 this morning and it was already very warm. The high today is supposed to be about 86. Not much in the way of onshore winds yesterday and with this heat, I’m thinking the water can only be warmer.

I get to the beach and the ocean surface is smooth. I can feel the sun bearing down on my back as I walk down the stairs. It’s by no means oppressive yet but its only a little after 10. Looking out towards the horizon, I see what looks like some nicely shaped waves rolling in.

On the beach, things look a little more active for this time of day than usual. There was some foreshadowing of this in the number of taken spaces in the parking lot above. This will be a popular day to get to the beach.

The lifeguard station posts 68 degrees for the water. All of these numbers seem somewhat meaningless. On Thursday, Surfline (or surf lies) said South Orange County was at 61 degrees in the forecast, but Strands was posted at 65. Then this morning it moves to 64. And now here it reads 68. Based on the wild fluctuations yesterday, I’d post 59-71.

I get into the water and things are generally feeling very similar to yesterday. Maybe the cold sections are fewer and farther between. And maybe they are more refreshing given the sultry air temperature.

There is definitely energy in the water. When I get to the South end there are some pretty hefty waves breaking against the cliffs far outside near to where I am in the water. It gives a pretty good show. It also sounds like the seals and sea lions are enjoying themselves as well. I can hear lots of barking from where I am. They like to hang out on the large red buoy that sits super far out.

I eventually turn around and head north. I’m riding this temperature roller coaster. I can feel the cold water move beneath and alongside of me as I pass through it. I try to imagine what this water would look like on a heat map. There would probably be crazy swaths of red and blue. I can’t possibly place a solid temperature reading here. What matters is that this is very enjoyable. It is good to be here. I think of all the people on this beach who travelled an hour or more to get here and I feel so very fortunate to live where I do.

I’m thinking today of “the narrow path” referred to in the gospels. I’ve had this on my mind the last few days since reading about it in Matthew 7 the other day: “Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” My “inner evangelical” loves to tell me it is narrow because only those who profess Jesus Christ walk on it and he likes to make fun of me for thinking that other faiths walk on this path too because how could they stupid, it’s too narrow.

I had this sort of epiphany this morning. When I think of “the path” regardless of girth. When I think of the way of eternal life Jesus speaks of, I think of that chasm I was writing about yesterday. I think about having the faith to jump into the wind that blows beneath. I think of living a life of trust and surrender and love. Well, I don’t see hoards of people standing at the edge of the chasm. Our culture is pretty good about teaching us fear. Prepare, prepare, prepare or else bad things will happen. Batton down the hatches. Life will take and it will take and it will take and then you die. Ok maybe that last thought sounds a bit dark.

So I’m wondering about this narrow path. While I think it can be broad enough to hold the whole world, I don’t see a whole lot of folks walking it. I’m trying my best to stay on it and it is indeed hard to keep on that path for long. What is a mystery to me is Jesus. I feel a power and radiance in that word. There is an energy when I imagine being “in Christ Jesus” as Paul often states. When I worship in church, at last Sunday’s communion, in this water, I believe in Jesus. He is the wind in the chasm and the power behind the poetry of body and blood.

I finish up the swim and the beach is busier than it was when I started. The ground is quite warm. A nice set of waves comes in as I head up the stairs.