Article October 21, 2013 Issue

The passing of the sea gull

Louise Wheatley Cook Hovnanian

We are pleased to share this article that originally appeared in the April 4, 1927, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

Two women sat upon the deck of an ocean liner in that sweetly satisfying silence which only true friends can understand. One of them had recently experienced what seemed to be the supreme tragedy of her life in the passing from her sight of a loved one, and there was still an ache in her heart which her friend had been endeavoring to assuage by tender, comforting assurances regarding Life and immortality. The one who had been listening sat quietly, her hands folded, trying to grasp what had just been said, and at the same time idly watching the sea gulls play about the mast as the ship plowed its way over the dancing waters. Presently she noticed that one of the gulls had left the others, circling ever higher and higher, until it was evident that it had separated itself from them altogether and was taking a course straight away from the ship. On and on it flew, steadily, surely, its strong white wings outspread, until it became but a mere speck in the sky and finally was lost sight of altogether.

But has the sea gull gone anywhere? thought the silent watcher, who was still pondering those comforting words she had just heard of the teaching of Christian Science regarding what is called death. Had that beautiful activity ceased? Was it not still identified with life, and strength, and vigor, and all that it possessed when it passed from her view? Had anything stopped? She suddenly sat up in her chair and gazed in almost startled interest at the blue far horizon, as into her consciousness there flowed an indescribable peace, the first she had known in many weary months. For she saw the truth of what her friend had been telling her and realized as never before that what had happened in her experience was just like the passing of the sea gull beyond her range of vision: it was still going on and on, even though her limited, human sense of sight could no longer follow it.

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