Day 67: August 30, 2012 ~ Gift from the Sea

Day 67: August 30, 2012 ~ Gift from the Sea

 

"I began these pages for myself, in order to think out my own particular pattern of living, my own individual balance of life, work and human relationships. And since I think best with a pencil in my hand, I started naturally to write..."

~Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea

  

I'm thinking this may be the first in a series, as I feel inspired to acknowledge various authors who have touched me deeply, expanded my awareness, and helped me to discover new perspectives on life. This particular book, Gift from the Sea, is definitely at the top of that list. I own two editions: the first printing, as pictured above, published in 1955; and thanks to my mother-in-law who actually worked for Mrs. Lindbergh (thank you, Irene!), an autographed copy of the 20th Anniversary Edition. I treasure both copies.

Her words speak directly to my soul. When I first read the book in my 20s I found it so inspirational, so refreshing to read her meditations on life and relationships and what it means to be a woman in our modern culture—juggling career, marriage, motherhood, and civic responsibilities. I resonated with her concerns about what happens to the soul of a woman when she loses herself in so much activity, and I felt a kindred spirit in reading of her discovery of the importance of nurturing the inner life.

During a brief vacation on Florida's Captiva Island in the early 1950s Mrs. Lindbergh reflected on the beauty of the shells that she collected while walking on the beach, finding in each unique shape and design a gift of insight revealing a metaphor for different stages of a woman's life.

Like the "Argonauta" (Paper Nautilus), "rare creatures who are not fastened to their shell at all." Once the mother argonaut floats this "cradle for the young" to the surface where the eggs hatch, she leaves her shell and starts another life. To Mrs. Lindbergh this is a symbol for a woman in the second half of life, setting out to discover what nourishes her creative spirit when her child rearing days are over:

"Woman must come of age by herself. This is the essence of 'coming of age'—to learn how to stand alone. She must learn not to depend on another, nor to feel she must prove her strength by competing with another...She must find her true center alone. She must become whole."

Today I am in great appreciation for the beauty and power of the written word in the hands of an artist such as Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and particularly grateful for the gifts that she has shared so graciously with the world.