High School Book Leaves Impression

When I was in high school, our class was given the assignment to read a book entitled “Gift from the Sea” by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. 

She was a mother of five who spent a vacation in a small house on a Captiva Island beach, off Florida’s west coast. Lindbergh was a person who appreciated the beauty and simplicity of time spent in this lovely environment. 

She collected seashells and smooth stones and placed them on her windowsill at home to bring her back to the time when she took some purposeful inventory of her life. 

Originally this was an exercise she intended to do just for her own benefit, but it soon became a wonderful inspiration for others to come and do the same.

She considered her life in the 1930’s to be hectic since she was raising a family but also participating in flights with her husband (Charles Lindbergh) to establish early aerial routes for the aviation industry. So, her life was full of ordinary and extraordinary experiences. 

In her book, she reflects upon the search for patience, faith and openness amidst life’s challenges and reminds us by reflecting on the beauty of a small, spiraled shell that we all need to hold still, just a moment, for a touch of salvation. 

She invites us to find clarity and hope along our way by looking up to see the stars or looking down to see a flower blossoming at our feet. All of us are looking for a happy balance and state of harmony in our life. 

There are different names for it, but essentially it means that somewhere between our sense of duty, purpose and dreams we want to be content. Threats to this sense of peace are multiplicity instead of simplicity, fear of the unknown or a desire to take a leap of faith. 

 Living in the modern world, women are especially affected by distractions. Anne makes a joke and says, “I begin to understand how saints were rarely married women.” It has little to do with chastity or children, but more to do with constant distractions. 

I recently watched a video about a woman who counted in one day how many times her child called for her “Mom, mama, mother.”  The number was literally hundreds of times!!! Well, we can’t become a hermit or run away, but we can attempt to balance our lives with pauses of quiet.

I find going to Mass or Eucharistic adoration during the week is a great opportunity for our unsettled souls to find rest. 

Once we are refreshed, we can return to chaos with a better attitude and bring some calm to our family or friends. 

Anne talks about relationships. She describes it as coming upon a new and beautiful shell on the seashore. 

It is a gift freely given. Just like our discovery of a new person in our life. If it is a romantic relationship, we may find ourselves swept off our feet in joy and excitement. 

The first moments will never be repeated. If it is meant to be a relationship that will be long-lasting then it will have to be allowed to grow, change and develop on a timeline that is out of our control. Don’t expect it to stay exactly as it began. The real goal is to meld the two people into a unique creation. 

Marriage is the strongest example of what a life lived in love can be. It must be sanctified which means that each person must be willing to give themselves to each other under the care of God. I think Anne’s book has a lot to offer us as we discover the shells or guideposts of our lives.

Lisa Janusa is a mother and grandmother in New Orleans and has been a St. Dominic parishioner with her husband for 50 years. A big part of her life has been spent serving God through various music ministries in St. Dominic Church and School. She is proud of her Catholic faith and is happy to share her knowledge and life experiences.