Salt water

James Cathcart August 10, 2023 3 7

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Psalm 126: 4-6 (NRSVA)

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
    like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears
    reap with shouts of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    carrying their sheaves.

“The cure for everything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea” — Isak Dinesen, the pen name of Karen Blixen.

I first encountered this quote as part of a display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, and it’s stuck with me ever since. My wife Lily and I will often refer to it, especially when we are at the seaside.

I immediately thought of it when thinking about those who sow in tears in verse 5 of today’s reading. The triptych of sweat/tears/sea, linked by salt, speaks profoundly into sorrow.

Sweat shows us what we can do.

Tears show us what we can’t do.

And the sea shows us that we are part of something bigger and deeper than we can possibly grasp. We are not alone.

From sweat, tears and the sea — come things like voyage, art and adventure. But also a means of coping with the sorrow of life.

Walk, cry, watch. Try, rest, dream. Work, stop, listen. Sow, weep, harvest.

Almost exactly 5 years ago I wrote a reflection here on SF about Gavin Clark’s beautiful bittersweet song ‘Never Seen The Sea’ which has the haunting refrain “You were born by the river / But you've never seen the sea”.

I wrote the following:

A dozen words to sum up a life. In comparing the bodies of water — one narrow and circuitous, cautiously winding its way — and the other wide and expansive, speaking of endless possibility, Gavin Clark sketches the tragic comedy of a small town life. The contrast between the familiar river and the unknown sea speak to me of roads not taken and opportunities missed. All rivers might lead to the sea, but this life hasn’t ever got there. It has stayed on the banks, never venturing far enough to catch a glimpse of the ocean. 

There are many in our world that know all too much about sweat and tears and sowing in sorrow… but who have never seen the sea. They have never heard the waves, or felt the bracing saline breeze that reminds them how deeply and truly alive they are. Oh that they might see it.

PRAYER:

God of all seas,

In a world where far too many sow in tears

we want to play our part

in helping one another

to reap with shouts of joy.

Amen.