Four elements

A while ago in Trinidad I learned that when we burn sage in an abalone shell it connects all the four elements: shell is water, sage is earth, fire is fire, and smoke is air. Air is a breath from the plants that fills your lungs and like love makes you smell like a good sacrifice offered to God. This morning at the beach Luke chased the early birds —eleven silver pelicans — moving in 4 dimensional space like rooks without boundaries of a flat chessboard, skimmers over the near waves. One late pelican followed, lower. Our favorite curious seal popped up to tag along the tideline. On our return trip the seal had brought disciples. One bedraggled pelagic cormorant and one drowned California gull had washed ashore, landing inches apart. Hi there, wherever you are. Thanks for working to protect our scenic narrow strip of watery earth that connects two essential elements, and in the fourth dimension the breath-air of prayer. All we need now is the fire of fire.