In old Irish folklore, I once read a story about a quaint fishing villages scattered along the coast of Ireland. The story unfolded painting a picture of the people who lived in close communion with the sea and their customs spanning many generations

The ocean supplied their food and means for living. The people knew the ocean was alive and powerful. A storm could arise from out of nowhere with massive white churning waves. The small fishing vessels that skimmed her surface could be knocked about or destroyed.

To insure the safety of their loved ones, every time a fishing boat left the harbor, the crew members and their families would ask the White Lady to grant them safe passage. They knew from their ancestors and personal experience that everything is alive, aware of its surroundings and responsive to the energy in its environment. Meaning if you talked to the ocean it would hear and answer you. For many generations the people have been in close communication with the ocean near their village.

A language comprised of thought and feelings vibrates a network of energy bonding the people and the sea…the glue being love. A kinship between souls unfolded a universal language between the sea and the people who ride on her.

My knowledge of the White Lady only existed in the story I just shared with you till I had an unexpected encounter with her myself. I was visiting a friend on the North Shore on this particular sunny day in early November. The surf was extremely high. We decided to travel to Lumahai Beach. The ocean spirits often join us when the surf rises and the ocean frolics with churning, frothy waves reaching to embrace for a moment the land above the sea. The ocean expresses such freedom of movement, adding her dance and voice to nature's symphony, stirring the wildness and freedom of Spirit inside of me.

My thoughts drifted back to a winter past, when in the wave a giant outline of a heart leaped out of the water. I reached for my camera and was able to capture some of the heart as it dissipated into the sea. My camera was still ready as the next wave hit the rocks near the shore. Out of the water on the heels of the heart leaped a huge wave and in it was a giant being holding a fish. It spoke to me in the old language of soul to soul, where the words of man were not used. Seconds later I watched as it dissolved back into the sea, its essence still lingering around me in a space out of time.

I am always in wonder of the multitude of nature beings sharing life on earth with us.

They move in rhythms outside of the constraints of time… living free of earthly limitations, moving to the heart beat of Mother Earth.

Nature has many layers as we do. She will weave us into a conscious relationship with her if we allow. I feel I am connecting deeper with the Divine that flows through all things when I am watching the movement of nature. How could the ocean have voice or nature beings, tree spirits, rock people, mountain spirits and more exist without a Supreme Intelligence orchestrating such power?

A wave crashing against some rocks brought me out of my contemplation. Lumahai Beach seems to have a doorway to other planes of existence. At least I have had that kind of experience time and time again. The wind and energy of the surf create conditions conducive for the nations living in the ocean to take form in its swirling vortexes.

I let my senses drift between the beach, wind and water. They were creating quite a show. My friend and I sat in the sun and watched the beauty and power in the dance of the waves reaching for the sky and then sinking back into the ocean. Nature is truly spectacular, as we are, when we are free to express ourselves in joyous celebration of life.

After a while I decided to walk the beach keeping a distance from the ocean's powerful raw force, feeling exhilarated and energized. Looking to the sky I saw an ancient one in the clouds. A spray of water leaped in front of me about twenty feet away. I continued walking and my eyes were drawn to a cluster of rocks. The rocks were large and wider than they were tall. The waves met the lava rocks with such force and incredible beauty, fanning out in all directions, forming abstract art forms using the blue sky for its canvas.

I sensed something stir in me. A moment of stillness took place followed by magnetism and electricity meeting in mid air. I watched as the surf traveled around and hit the front side of the rocks with force, climbing high into the air. I felt within me and saw in the wave two arms unravel themselves from the foam extending upward and out, bent at the wrists. At the same moment her body unwrapped itself from water. There a woman stood facing the ocean from which she came. Hair flowed over her shoulder, and her long dress made of white foam swayed with the movement of the ocean. I took a picture feeling the presence of the White Lady move within me coming to rest in my heart. Moments later The Lady returned to her home beneath the sea and the electricity in the atmosphere returned to normal, whatever normal is in the world of nature.

I could still feel her with me, when for a moment in time our worlds intertwined. We will never be the same because now we have seen each other. We can connect again through her picture, or sitting by the ocean, or in our hearts. I can call on the Lady's presence and revisit her at my home by the Wailua River in the quiet time when I have my morning coffee; our connection imprinted on each other. We now know of the others existence, the Lady and I.

My thoughts wandered back to the story of the White Lady, the fisherman and their families in those simple fishing villages in a faraway ocean from ours. I know her appearance out of the sea, was for me to share her story with you.

I walked back to where my friend on the beach was sitting, never to forget what I felt as the Lady formed in the white wave. I thanked her silently in my mind for those moments now etched forever in my heart.

Words of Shakespeare came to mind… "One touch of Nature makes the whole world Kin!"