Today, the halibut fishermen brought in their catch. We met them at the beach. There was a lot of laughter and a good deal of teasing as the men showed off their catch.
The air was cold and damp, it smelled of fish and water. The ground along the shore was soft and muddy. I felt bad for the silver fish in the nets, some still clinging to life.
A grandmother smiled at me and handed me a knife. "Don't feel bad," she said, "this is good. Now we will have plenty to save for winter."
She showed me how to fillet and gut the fish. I was awkward at first but soon got the hang of it, still feeling bad, though, for the fish.
Everyone around me seemed happy - there was a cheer in the air, a spirit of liveliness and fun, and I did my best to just relax into that.
As I was working, I started to wonder. "OK, so this is all find and good, but what does it have to do with me?"
The grandmother I was working with said. "These fish were happy to give themselves so that we can live, and as we live - they live."
I said, "Yes, I can see that," and I did, "But what does this have to do with my life now?"
She stood up and looked me straight in the eye and said in a very direct way. Speaking to my heart. "What you bring into your life now will sustain you through the dark time, through your "winters" - so take thought about what you bring in."
