Waves of Water and Pondering Ruth

Wow – here we are into mid-March, almost! The days slip by like leaves in a gentle stream, twisting this way and that, touching the bank for a moment, then sliding on, leaving only the slightest ripple in their wake.

The view out the bedroom window is awesome and calls my attention frequently. The waves are breaking over rough black rocks, cut by water and wind, tossed haphazardly along this part of the coast, as if dropped from a broken string-bag. They protect the coast from the continuous crash of water, as well as entry by boat. Both Native Peoples and European explorers would have had to have their wits about them trying to make land here. There is a large rock probably a ½ mile out from shore here (aren’t binoculars helpful?) with what looks to be a lighthouse; a helpful guide amid the ocean mists and rolling ocean.

We will do some exploration of Brookings today and some reading by the fire later. The weather has turned from sunny skies to misty rain – a bit more than a smir. We stopped in a thrift store yesterday in Crescent City and found books. 

The Song of Ruth (Frank G. Slaughter) was a great find for me and I started reading it last night. The 317-page novel consists of 3 ‘books’, each based on a verse of the biblical Book of Ruth. I know some in the GLBT community wonder why other GLBTs use readings from Ruth in their wedding vows, citing that it has nothing to do with same-sex relationship and is misused. I’ve often wondered why myself. Slaughter’s comments in his preface shed some (possible) light, suggesting some biblical authorities believe the Book of Ruth is fictional, written by a Hebrew writer about 500 B.C. “Its purpose was twofold: first, to place a foreigner in the ancestry of David, in this instance Ruth, broadening the appeal of the Israelite faith to others; and second, to teach a lesson of tolerance and love which might lessen racial antagonisms and intense nationalism”.

While I toss the word ‘tolerance’, which does not sit well with me, I consider the source and time (1953). Perhaps the Book of Ruth is really about crossing boundaries, following your heart, accepting differences, and drawing the circle wider, rather than adhering to man-made (intentional use of ‘man’) borders and rules.