Normally my morning beach walk includes a quiet read of poetry, Bible, whatever I feel moved to carry that day. Today I looked over the ledge of the sidewalk, onto the sand, and found a crab struggling to right itself and continue walking on the sand. The water was very far away, and there were some very hungry seagulls in between - he needed a little help.
So...I walked down to the sand, picked up the snapping crab, dumped him in my shoe and headed to the water. It was a new northern section of the beach, where I had not walked before. There were some rocks up ahead, and surprisingly, there were tide pools there. I dumped out the crab and he happily scurried sideways under some rocks, where I was convinced he would live another day.
Yesterday I had a great day of sharing with new F/friends who helped me along in a time of difficult questioning. It was unexpected, it was more helpful than I could have ever dreamed, and more timely than I would have ever hoped for. How often to we overlook such amazing gifts that we are given? This crab I found today was in the middle of no where, certainly "doomed", even if unaware of the circumstance at the time. And yet out of nowhere he was scooped up and saved. Propelled onto a new path.
Quakers (the weighty, "real" Quakers I tend to like so much) were quite aware of these happenings. In a world of many trials, where it seems the curtain is closing and the cavalry will not make it in time, the "big save" always seems to occur. Perhaps not in the way they expected - but certainly in the way most needed and helpful at the time. I'm hoping in the next few days, as I myself move into some new and uncharted spiritual territory for me, to remember it is not my job to fix anything, save anyone, but merely to sit back and faithfully watch the unfolding, and be grateful.
My own will and desires were now very much broken, and my heart was with much earnestness turned to the Lord, to whom alone I looked for help in the dangers before me. - John Woolman
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