An Ocean Invitation By Madonna DePalo
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Credit: JeremyBishop_Unsplash
The most exhausting thing in life, I have discovered, is being insincere. That is why so much of social life is exhausting; one is wearing a mask. I have shed my mask. —Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea
I
t’s been many years since
I’ve read Lindbergh’s Gift from the Sea. Written in 1955 on Florida’s Captiva Island, Lindbergh explored her life, her relationships, and the roles of women in society using seashells found on the beach as her inspiration.
I was in high school when this book was assigned reading. I remember not only how Lindbergh’s words gave me pause to think about topics I’d never considered before, but also how this book intensified an already strong and mysterious pull to the ocean, something I’ve had all my life. Like Lindbergh,
StarStar Nations Nations Magazine Magazine • June • June 2020 2020 • 6• 6
I’ve discovered that the sea holds tremendous gifts for self-exploration … and for healing. I clearly remember my first visit to the ocean as a child. I was with my grandparents and it was winter. Not your usual time for an ocean visit. This was a special trip just for me, a spontaneous gift from my grandparents who
