Tail of a Whale of a Tale

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power. ~Abraham Lincoln

orca’s tail ~d nelson

During her early years
she was a sailor
seeking calm seas
& fair winds at her back.
A smile on her lips when she somehow
remembered intermittent calm
& fair times in a weather-worn life.

orca’s tail 5

At a recent Assisted Senior Living Center
visit I found her wearing a shirt that fit
her to a tee, with an image of a whale
and a quote,
They whispered to her
“you cannot withstand the storm”
She whispered back,
“I am the storm.”

Proud of her maintaining dignity in a life
colored by men’s ignorant dominance.

In the background, CNN news was blaring
for the benefit of the hard of hearing.
Seemingly several of these elders, animated, energized
began blurting out opinion & commentary;
“This is not normal, not even close”
“Why doesn’t the gov’t care about us anymore?”
“He’s got an interesting relationship with the truth.”
“We’re facing a Code Orange of greed, corruption, vulgarity & malice.”

She laughed at fellow cohabitant’s commotion,
then saying she’s been grieving
over men’s misuse of power.
May the next world be matriarchal,
mothering, 
kind, compassionate
and welcoming 
to all, equally.”

Closing her eyes, a tear as nostalgia awoken
of sailing through the San Juan Islands.
“Quite a tale they told
calling them killer’s whales,
but they are actually dolphins”, she insisted!

orca’s tail 7

I smiled when she said
as I was leaving,
“I’ll get on back home
one of these days.
More Yin,
Less Yang.”
Calmly I breathed
a gentle understanding.

 


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Comments

108 responses to “Tail of a Whale of a Tale”

  1. kethuprofumo Avatar

    Wonderful creature! To see them must be bring luck! 🙂

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      yes, quite impressive
      up close!
      thank you dear Maria
      for also bringing
      me luck this morning 🙂

  2. Sarah Avatar

    Beautiful. 🙂 ❤

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      🙂
      2
      your kindness, Sarah!

  3. watchingthedaisies Avatar

    Stunning photographs and wise words. 😊

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for this kind reflection, watchingthedaisies!
      seeing how brilliantly the camera captured fleeting moments
      those words just came
      from a distant, but near place 🙂

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for adding
      more love to the world, LM 🙂

  4. Jerry Peri Avatar
    Jerry Peri

    Reblogged this on Celebrity Platform.

  5. Jerry Peri Avatar
    Jerry Peri

    I love this! It’s beautiful!!

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you, Jerry!
      i’m touched by your
      kindness & sharing, david 🙂

      1. Jerry Peri Avatar
        Jerry Peri

        You make me smile by your response, David! Always lookout for each other!!

  6. Linda Arthur Tejera Avatar

    Beautiful photos and words! 🙂

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      i’m happy to receive
      your kind words, Linda!
      i’ll pass them on
      to the Orca’s 🙂

  7. delphini510 Avatar

    I don’t know which is best, your writing or your photographs.
    Could one call it enhancement? So beautiful are both.
    There are many words from the sailor lady that stand out ” I am the storm ”
    ” more yin, less yang”
    No wonder you breathed calmer.
    miriam

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      those words put a little
      wind in my sails also, miriam!
      thank you for kindly
      breathing calmer with me 🙂

  8. Jet Eliot Avatar

    Loved this journey through the Puget Sound, David, your photos and the beauty are refreshing. I found your sailor woman’s journey of life a profound one, thank you.

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      i’m grateful for the kind review
      of such a renowned traveler as yourself, Jet!
      she is quite an inspiration!
      i’m amazed the camera managed to get
      those shots as the boat bounced
      quickly on those choppy waters!
      & thanks for reminding me
      to post again 🙂

  9. Sue Dreamwalker Avatar

    I think dear David Code Orange is prevalent within all our governing bodies, once the aged have worked themselves into the ground, no longer to serve they are forgotten and neglected by the establishment. Here the ageing populations blamed for the NHS crisis.. regardless of other factors..
    I love the lady whose TShirt said ‘I am the Storm’ .. For here in the UK this week, I think the ageing populations put paid to the majority rule by our present election results as it seemed the aged were targeted in a manifesto.. And they voted using their Power..
    I too hope that the future holds more Yin and Less Yang my friend..

    Those images of the Orca’s tail are wonderful.. I can feel her crashing down in the ocean..
    May we all SEE, how each ripple can create waves..
    May we keep sending our ripples to uphold the values of Life and Peace my friend

    Love and Blessings to you David..
    Sue 💚💖☺

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      most grateful for this insightful, worldly perspective that there’s no monopoly
      on misuse & abuse of power upon
      citizens of the world, Sue
      be they people, animals
      or the earth, herself!
      may we collectively
      become a storm of love
      to wash away the ignorance and hate
      seemingly overshadowing the garden 🙂

      1. Sue Dreamwalker Avatar

        I say Amen to that dear David.. Love and Blessings to you my friend. 💛

  10. sasokisoaps Avatar

    Brilliantly done, David. Powerful, and gentle.
    🐋 🌹 ⛵️ 💖

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      smiling to your kind words
      and cute pictures, Sarah!
      may your day be calm & restful 🙂

      1. sasokisoaps Avatar

        Thankyou 😊

  11. JoAnna Avatar

    I am so thankful for your gentle understanding. It’s power will bring us all “good luck.”

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      i do my best to understand, JoAnna
      and feel grateful that insights occur,
      if if only fleeting & occasional!
      thank you for evoking power
      into this essay of survival 🙂

      1. JoAnna Avatar

        You are most welcome.

  12. Margarita Avatar

    Beautiful images…and sentiments, David.
    I see us shifting to a space of parenting. Neither patriarchal nor matriarchal. A more inclusive space of Oneness not based on binary or duality. It’s developing! 😉 xoxoM

    1. Rosaliene Bacchus Avatar

      Oh for that day, Margarita!

      1. Margarita Avatar

        Let’s hold that space in Love and Light, Rosaliene! 😉 xoM

    2. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for this kind wisdom, Margarita!
      i’m happy hearing of this non-dualistic shifting,
      likely getting established there in NY
      under your guidance, first 🙂

      1. Margarita Avatar

        In Oneness, there is no first or last, my dear. It simply Is. I see it as a global shift of consciousness, David. 😉 xoxoM

      2. smilecalm Avatar

        i’m happy you’re seeing it!
        i’ll go out now
        & take a look 🙂

  13. Tippy Gnu Avatar

    a matriarchy
    sounds like a fine change
    but let’s not forget
    women can be
    ignorant and mean
    too

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for these kind wisdoms, Tippy!
      i’m content to stay barefoot in the kitchen
      even if women aren’t all sugar, spice
      & everything nice 🙂

  14. Rosaliene Bacchus Avatar

    Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, David 🙂 Love that quote: “I am the storm.” We undermine our communities when we cage our elders for disposal.

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you many times over, Rosaliene!
      may we all be forces of nature
      for love & compassion!
      it ‘s quite something to have put elders away
      in facilities. just what kind of policy planning
      mindset created this? 🙂

  15. Anarette Avatar

    Wise words and beautiful pics of the orcas!

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      we’re all blowing bubbles
      of gratitude for your kindness, Anarette 🙂

  16. JC Avatar

    Your pictures and words remind me of what JFK said long ago about our connection to the sea and everything…“We all came from the sea. And it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea – whether it is to sail or to watch it – we are going back from whence we came”… It seems that we are brothers with the orca and all creatures. So why can’t we come together to protect it from ourselves?

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you, JC
      for evoking such a quote
      bringing deeper reflection
      of our sea origins & essence
      as creations of this earth!
      will humans reach their potential awakening,
      overcoming what disconnects them from each other & everything else?
      time will tell. perhaps in this world,
      if not, maybe the next 🙂

  17. Betty Hayes Albright Avatar

    Enjoyed both the poem and the photos. (Pictures from the northwest where I’ve lived all my life. 😁. ) Thank you!

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for your kind words, Betty!
      i lived in WA my first few years.
      although beyond my memory,
      it feels very comforting, like home
      on the infrequent opportunities
      to visit 🙂

      1. Betty Hayes Albright Avatar

        It is a beautiful area to live, though unfortunately becoming more crowded and developed in the Seattle area. Up near Bellingham (where I went to college) I think it’s still lovely. Glad to hear you still come to visit the NW. 🙂

  18. Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog Avatar

    Sweet! 🙂
    Some in old age — and definitely not all — have a priceless wisdom that is eternal if there is understanding in the listening.

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for taking the time
      to listen & kindly share, Tom!
      i’m grateful to have had opportunities
      to listen to some with many more
      years of experience than I 🙂

  19. Healing Grief Avatar

    The majestic energy of whales who hold such strength and power and yet surprisingly, also hold gentle compassion. A Beautiful flow of wisdom and wonderful captures David which remind us to balance these energies within ourselves. A special experience to be so close.

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you, Karen for adventurously
      boating along with us this time!
      those orcas popped out of the water
      right next to the boat a couple times,
      which left both me & the camera
      too surprised to get a picture.
      the moment’s captured, though
      in my smile 🙂

  20. Carol A. Hand Avatar

    Breath-giving, life-affirming, and exquisite, David.

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      i’m smiling humbly to your kind comment, Carol! it all seemed to pop out quickly
      and splash down upon the keyboard 🙂

  21. sara Avatar

    Amazing photos! She is in good company – there are many of us who are sick of the duality and imbalance of a world with too much masculine power ❤️

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for your kind words, sara!
      having a career in a predominately women’s field (dietitian), i’ve heard their tales of injustice enough to truly be convinced. may your day be relaxed & filled with freshness 🙂

  22. Mél@nie Avatar

    wonderful post, amigo… 🙂 I love cetaceans, in general and killer-whales, in particular… guess what: just read an article about them: as mammals, they have more things in common with humans than any other cetaceans!!! I did have the chance and privilege to watch them off-shore, in Iceland – FREE… ❤ I dislike and I avoid "sea worlds"(and zoos!), as to me, it's heartbreaking to watch wild animals in captivity…

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      wonderful hearing how they’ve got so much in common with people!
      nice to know you saw them for free!
      i had to pay a small amount to be sped out
      on a boat around the San Juan Islands 🙂

  23. Alison and Don Avatar

    She sounds like a very wise woman, a true elder. And orcas always make me smile. A lovely tale of a tail David 🙂
    Alison

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for thanking me & my friend & the whale
      for sharing our tail & tale of the deep, dark & light, Alison 🙂

  24. niasunset Avatar

    What a beautiful moments you shared with us dear David, photographs and your words, great touches, fascinated me. Thank you, Blessing and Happiness, Love, nia

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      i’m smiling to your kindness, nia! i’ll pass on your generosity
      to all concerned, especially the whales!
      not sure why i don’t see your posts in my reading box, i’ll check 🙂

  25. AmyRose🌹 Avatar

    Exquisite and touching post, David. What a sight that must have been to see these huge mammals up that close. When will man see the Truth and just allow Mother to BE? I too have been pondering on the subject of power and how man is tested when he walks in Power Shoes. I have a taste of that Power and know consequences I could not live with IF I choose other then Love for the outcome. How sad this world and its “leaders” do not know this. Again as I visit here I walk on Sacred Ground. Bless you, dear friend, for staying the Course. 💞💞🥀

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      makes me happy knowing that your loving presence
      dances across this earth at this time when it’s most needed, Amy!
      the whale that popped up next to the boat got my attention,
      making quite an impression on me, but my camera was too
      in shock to react. so we both took a few calming breaths and smiled 🙂

      1. AmyRose🌹 Avatar

        How you made me smile. I can well imagine your camera’s reaction. 😘

  26. sloppy buddhist Avatar

    So beautiful WOW!!!! Smiles hedy 😀

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      all the whales and i can do
      now, after hearing your kind words,
      is to smile and go play 🙂

      1. sloppy buddhist Avatar

        I’m in TO its summer hot! 😎☀️

  27. J.D. Riso Avatar
    J.D. Riso

    Magnificent creatures, those giants of the sea. And the sailor woman is a beautiful storm. It seems sadistic to subject the elderly to the media. Nature programs or other serene entertainment would be more beneficial, in my opinion. Make the time they’ve got left as peaceful as possible.

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      i’m grateful for your kind, insightful thoughts, JD! it was most special boating out and experiencing them.
      seems many of the seniors have a long habit of watching some new
      which keeps them feeling connected to things
      for better or worse.
      nature shows sounds like a much better idea to me 🙂

  28. Ka Malana - Fiestaestrellas.com Avatar

    May the yin and yang be changing and in balance.

    I enjoyed this tale, tail and this Orca so free….
    Your experience with this dear woman is precious and lovingly illustrated.

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      your words are balancing
      and supportive to me and all concerned,
      as a smile now comes to my lips, Ka.
      while visiting up north my friend was most appreciate
      of the gift of your poetry book! he put it next to a little
      hula figure on his mantle, and plans to bring it with him
      to savor during waiting room times of continued treatments.

  29. Val Boyko Avatar

    A delightful tale, and a remarkable woman. 😊 May Yin continue to expand to bring harmony to the Yang in today’s world.

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for these kind, supportive words, Val!
      and for helping bring a balance to us
      near and far 🙂

  30. Michele Anderson Avatar

    Let’s cheer for better days, David. Maybe the storm will wash away the greed and so much bad, and beautiful calm, kinder, days will appear. Your pictures are lovely. The strength in those beautiful animals gives me hope.

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      Thank you Michele
      for being an enthusiastic
      cheerleader for happiness
      & hope 🙂

  31. ashiftinconsciousness Avatar

    Nice. Cool pictures, too. 😀

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      makes me happy
      that you like it’s temperature
      and all 🙂

  32. Dennis the Vizsla Avatar

    hello smilecalm its dennis the vizsla dog hay dada sez lots of peepul fayl that abraham linkun test i am not shoor if he has ennywun spessifik in mind tho!!! those big blak and wite dolfins kind of reemind me of charlee and chaplin only not as fuzzy!!! ok bye

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      so nize to have a gude dada
      & not wun huze carz unly fer hmslf, dennis!
      dada is happy to get a lick, tuu 🙂

  33. Annika Perry Avatar

    David, I was hooked by the title of this post and just had to read on! The photos are exquisite and I can feel the force and majesty of these beautiful whales / dophins! As always your words bring us to the present and beyond to a world of deeper spirituality…a home we can all aim for, to breath calmer…I know I’m trying! 😀 Thank you so much for your thoughts and pictures, a wondrous thought-provoking delight.

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      smiling, that you also find the orca’s awesome & inspiring, Annika!
      with practice, breaths get calmer, is my experience
      especially with support of others,
      even whales 🙂

  34. Poet Rummager Avatar

    “May the next world be matriarchal,
    mothering, kind, compassionate
    and welcoming to all, equally.”

    Amen to that, David! The San Juan Islands are splendid in beauty and wildlife. I’m glad you were able to visit the beautiful NW. There’s no other place I would rather be. I loved how you meshed the wise elders to nature. With the threat of this administration’s decision not to respect and be guardians of our great Earth, we need others to voice their beliefs even more. Superb post and photographs! All the best. xo

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for your poetic comment, Rose!
      with efforts to bring balance, harmony and love
      may we continue doing our best for ourselves
      and all living beings 🙂

  35. shobhna Avatar

    Wishing for a more compassionate and nurturing world too. Glorious pictures of the whales/dolphins. Thank you for sharing their beauty with us.

  36. Lara/Trace Avatar

    I wish now that when I was in those waters the whales had come to visit me – maybe next life… (PS… this is my favorite post)

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      it’s amazing what’s just under the surface
      that we may, or may not ever see, Lara/Trace!
      me & the camera were fortunate this time.
      may beauties not yet seen, but present
      reveal themselves
      to you 🙂

  37. Christy B Avatar

    Oh David! From her saying “I am the storm” to the words of equality.. as well as the gorgeous photos.. this is a spectacular post! I think it is my favorite one yet from you xx

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for finding this post your favorite, ChristyB!
      may you be the storm
      & the way towards paradise
      for yourself & the world 🙂

  38. joshi daniel Avatar

    that is awesome 🙂

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      smiling to your
      awesome
      presence, joshi 🙂

  39. Lori D. Marchell Carlsen Avatar

    Great photography and powerful quote!

  40. Michael Avatar

    A beautiful display of power and grace for our elders, who are not deceived… 🙂 Oh yes… we have our reasons. We all have our reasons, but what is that dolphin’s reason!? That is the reason for which I would wish…

    Peace, David. Keep on keepin’ on, my friend.
    Michael

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for being that
      kind dolphin’s message,
      dear Michael 🙂

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      thank you for finding
      it so, absengeralois 🙂

  41. meganrcrossley Avatar

    Intelligent writing and stunning photographs – I am glad I found this post!

    ~ megancrossley.com

  42. Sue Dreamwalker Avatar

    Couldn’t find a place to leave my comment on Lets Cool it post dear David.. but had to leave my thoughts here, Such a good post my friend.. Breathing in and breathing out Cooool.. Lots of hot air both on the planet and being expressed via verbal means recently.. I hope the G20 summit comes to doing something, rather than it being another Hot air meeting..
    Sending you my thoughts, No need to answer this David.. I thank you kindly for your own recent visit my friend..
    Enjoy the Summer Sun and I hope your find cool shade and lots of cool energies.. 😉
    Love and Blessings
    Sue 🙂

  43. Genie Avatar
    Genie

    Wales are Wise Elders who have much to teach humans.

  44. Dina Avatar

    Awesome, David! Absolutely stunning photographs and so wise words. ❤

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      the whales, my friend
      & I thank you 🙂

  45. Aquileana Avatar

    A most beautiful post. The photographs and words are moving… Great!. ⭐

    1. smilecalm Avatar

      smiling to your kindness, Aquileana!
      i’m happy you like them 🙂

  46. Leyla Avatar

    Beautiful post and photos ❤

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