BBB Member

Beluga Whale Hits the River


Wonders never cease. Just when those in our area of the Delaware River were beginning to recover from the recent floods, a whale arrives to shake things up.

A 15-foot Beluga whale-now identified as named "Helis" and hailing from the St. Lawrence Estuary in Canada--has been spotted swimming up and down the water near Trenton, New Jersey. Passersby gathered to spot the beautiful creature today. Although I wasn't among those to who saw him, a few lucky neighbors spotted him making playful splashes.

All this talk about whales had made me wonder what made this lone traveler (who if he is true to his breed, usually migrates in pods of two to 25) choose to get so off-course to take a 125-mile detour away from the sea, a 800-mile detour from home.

Everyone has ideas. Perhaps the flooding, some say. Perhaps the plentiful herring and shad in these parts, say others. But no one really knows for sure. Except the whale.

I can relate. Sometimes I get off-course too. Whether it's worrying about what others think, watching the signs "out there" rather than tuning inward, or simply going with the flow-sometimes too much so-occasionally in my life I have looked around and wondered, "Now how the heck did I get here?"

Whether you call them epiphanies, hitting rock bottom or great awakenings, our detours, however painful, give our lives their character.

Sometimes wrong turns can be great adventures, giving us clarity and new ideas. Often, they give us the opportunity to shed our skins and begin anew, a surprising benefit freshwater has on beluga whales, experts say. Occasionally, they take us to places more incredible than our wildest dreams, just by "accident."

So, I say to the Beluga, whatever your reason for being here, be it a personal adventure, wrong turn, or perhaps even a blessing to those like me who needed to look at their surroundings a bit differently--follow your soul home, my friend.

May you be safe, well, and enriched somehow by being one of the few-if not the only-of your kind to have ever traveled these waters.

(c) 2005 Laurie Smith

Laurie Smith is an inspirational writer and workshop facilitator. She speaks at schools, organizations and corporations to kids and adults on creating the lives of their dreams. To read more articles like this, check out her blog at http://www.soulwisdom.blogspot.com.


MORE RESOURCES:

Gerard Lucien Gaudreau, inspirational speaker
Baltimore Sun, United States - 21 hours ago
By Frederick N. Rasmussen Gerard Lucien Gaudreau, a former partner in a Baltimore real estate firm and an inspirational speaker and teacher, died of heart ...


Inspirational Deborah Riedel soprano dies of cancer aged 50
The Australian, Australia - 16 hours ago
Matthews described Riedel as an inspirational singer. Riedel grew up in Sydney and was a schoolteacher before successfully auditioning for a place in the ...


Inspirational coach sharing her experiences with local girls
Chinook Observer (subscription), WA - 14 hours ago
ILWACO — On June 11 from 10 am to 3 pm, girls in grades sixth through 12th have a rare opportunity to spend a day with an inspirational leader of young ...


Tyler Thompson, inspirational JCJC student, dies
Laurel Leader Call, MS - Jan 7, 2009
By Jason Niblett, newseditor@laurelleadercall.com A Jones County Junior College student who symbolically became an inspiration during the 2008 Jones County ...


Local Sports Hero to Share Inspirational Story at Business Club of ...
dBusinessNews Triangle (press release), NC - Jan 7, 2009
Triangle - (Raleigh, NC) January 7, 2009 – Logan Aldridge, a top national wakeboarder from Raleigh, will share his inspirational story at the Business Club ...


Inspirational yachtsman is guest at memorial lecture
Bourne Local, UK - 16 hours ago
He is a really inspirational person.” The memorial lecture marks the fifth anniversary of the death of Len Pick. Chairman of the trustees Trevor Peacock ...


New York Daily News

ESPN says Baldelli will sign with Red Sox
Providence Journal, RI - Jan 7, 2009
Not only did he make an inspirational and remarkable return to the lineup in 2008, but he produced in key situations for the Rays, especially in the ...
Farewell Rocco: Baldelli signs with Red Sox Tampa Bay's 10
Signing with Red Sox a homecoming for Baldelli Providence Journal
all 883 news articles


In Economic Turmoil and Uncertainty, the Promise of an Education ...
Reuters - Jan 5, 2009
In Economic Turmoil and Uncertainty, the Promise of an Education is Inspirational and Life-Changing for Four (4) Deserving and Gifted Fashion Students to ...


University of Arkansas Inspirational Singers to Present 'The ...
University of Arkansas Daily Headlines, AR - Jan 6, 2009
The UA Inspirational Singers will present "The Gospel Feast" at 6:30 pm Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20-21, the Town Center in Fayetteville. ...


Columnist's weight-loss effort 'is nothing short of inspirational'
Columbia County News Times, GA - Jan 6, 2009
Seeing him go through this process every day for the past nine months has been nothing short of inspirational! AB is a great part of The News-Times, ...

Inspirational - Google News

home | site map
© 2006