Sea Change Soliloquy (Ingathering 8-17-08)

Ingathering Service

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Statesboro

August 17, 2008

“Sea Change Soliloquy”

Rev. Jane Page

 

 

This particular year, I’ve heard the phrase “sea change” used often.  Frequently folks are using it in hopeful discussions regarding the future of our society.  And sometimes it’s used to indicate the huge massive changes that we are now seeing related to our climate and our environment.  About a month ago, I needed to submit a title for this homily that would be used before our annual water communion – and perhaps with all the discussions of “sea change” – I decided to use that phrase in my submission.  And the title I submitted was “Sea Change Soliloquy.”  It sounded good!  “Sea Change Soliloquy.”   Of course, then I had to actually determine what this Sea Change Soliloquy would be! 

 

First of all – since I have an academic side (and many of you do as well), I needed to have an understanding of the literary history of this phrase.  According to World Wide Words:

The phrase is a quotation from Shakespeare. It comes from Ariel’s wonderfully evocative song in The Tempest:

 

Full fathom five thy father lies:
Of his bones are coral made:
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.

 

Shakespeare obviously meant that the transformation of the body of Ferdinand’s father was made by the sea, but we have come to refer to a sea change as being a profound transformation caused by any agency.

 

So this soliloquy that I’m going to provide for you – is not about some slight little change – but something more profound and transformative. 

 

Now you may remember that the term soliloquy is simply an audible conversation with oneself.  (Dang – I hope their not bored with this already.)  Yeah – like that!

 

So one thing you will do here today is witness me talking to myself.  So what’s new?  In fact, those of you who have been hearing or reading my sermons for some time – know that I preach to myself a lot. 

 

For inspiration for my “Sea Change Soliloquy” – I went – to the sea!  Yes, Greg and I spent an afternoon, and evening, and a morning with all four children at Jekyll Island a couple of weeks ago.  And on Thursday morning, July 31, 2008 while Greg played with the kids – I waded into the Atlantic Ocean.  (Start wave sounds)  And I laid back – put my head into those waves and said to myself:

 

Oh YES!  This is good.

 I’m floating – my whole body – not just my head – but all the way down to my feet.  I wonder – is it the salt content of the sea – or the fat content in me?

In any case, I’m here afloat – my own little boat – breathing serenity.

Perhaps I’ll have a little sea change myself – a transformation of my spirit here today upon this sea.  And what should this sea change be? 

 

Perhaps the “sea” connects to the letter “C” for me and others.  The transformative powers of calmness, caring, consideration, coping, counseling, constructive criticism, and sometimes just “cooling it.” 

 

Yes, sometimes we just need to float – to let go of all the anxieties and concerns and let the waves take us where they will.

 

Oh, where have the waves taken me?  I’m over my head.  No problem.  I can swim and I’m not too far out.  There’s a lesson for you Jane.  Go ahead and float – but stay aware of where the waves are taking you.  And be sure you know how to swim if you are going to get in over your head. 

 

Look, there are my loved ones, I need to get nearer to them – I don’t want to stop my careful consideration of sea change – but I need to be nearer to them and more secure in order to transform more.

 

And now I stand with my feet firmly planted in the wet ocean floor and feel the power of the current.  And I let that power enter me as I breathe in the salt air.

 

My mother says salt water heals – perhaps that’s the sea change that our country needs.  We need the healing transformative power of the salt water for the sores on our souls.  Sores caused by excessive consumerism and greed.  Cuts and tears caused from using violence as a means to resolve our differences.  Sores that have festered because of our neglect and mistreatment of our greater body – the earth.   Oh, how we need for the salt water to heal these sores.  Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth.”  And Ye includes me.

 

And Ye is We.  As Ghandi Said—“We must be the change we wish to see in the world.”

 

Of course, the Sea Change – first must be a Me Change.

 

I hear the children calling me.  Amidst the sounds of crashing waves, the children are calling me.  Yes, --- I am called by the children; And my transformation – my sea change reality is that we, as Unitarian Universalists, are called by our children and the world’s children to save their future before it’s too late. 

 

Friends, that’s my sea change soliloquy.  Will you answer their call with me?