Article September 6, 2004 Issue

Through a spiritual lens

WINTER IN HOUT BAY, SOUTH AFRICA

Paul Shippey

From time to time during my travels as journalist, I stumble across a scene that at first glance seems frenetic. Yet after I've captured the image on film and studied the negative, I find in it a feeling of tranquillity and beauty.

The busy little fishing harbor is Hout Bay, near Cape Town, South Africa. I arrived there shortly after a winter squall had passed through, and despite the cold, damp conditions, found the wharf a heartwarming hive of activity. Seagulls were divebombing one another for scraps, fishermen were offloading their catch, and potential customers were eyeing out the freshest fish for dinner. Everyone had an air of purpose. But the serenity I eventually saw and came to appreciate, at first seemed to be missing. Isn't life so often like that?

It was the striking contrast between the busy waterfront and the misty backdrop with clouds draped over the mountains that provided an ideal photo opportunity. It also caused me to pause and be grateful for the beauty we discover when we lift up our eyes to the mountains, which so often, as the Psalmist said, "bring peace to the people" (Ps. 72:3).

Paul Shippey
Manhattan Beach, California

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