Earlier this year, I read the book The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer, an author I’m sure many of you are familiar with. In this book, she mentions an indigenous practice for processing grief where you talk to the water, usually sitting by it or dipping your toes in. You talk about the grief and hardship and all of the complicated feelings. A study was done over this practice and it was 3 times more effective at processing grief and overcoming grief-induced depression than more western methods of journaling or talking to a therapist.

I found this really interesting and hopeful. I had had a very stressful semester at school with my class load, working 20 hours a week, and some family health scares. I wanted to try this method for myself just to destress, but it was winter and there weren’t any accessible bodies of water near me at school. So I told myself I would try it out this summer at camp.

I’d always been drawn to the little fishing dock, and this felt like the perfect place to dip my toes in the water both literally and figuratively. So I did.

One Friday evening, I went and sat on the dock and talked to the water. It felt pretty silly at first, but the more I talked, the more right it felt. I can see now how this can be more effective than therapy. The water feels so safe to talk to. She just listens and you can give her all of your worries. I found that I don’t stutter when I talk to the water and I slow down and really breathe. It was so relieving to be able to get all of my thoughts and worries off my chest, and I began to cry. And it felt good. But it also felt sort of lonely. As I began to cry harder, my feet stilled in the water and I looked down into it an saw a baby turtle swimming towards me. I stood still to not scare off the creature. My feet were about 2 inches apart and the little turtle came swimming up to me and swam right between my feet. In doing so its front legs patted against the insides of my feet as it passed.

It was so surreal to me. I was just sitting on the dock and thinking how I just wished I had someone to hold my hand and say “I’ve got you.” And this little turtle did exactly that. I tend to feel God most through nature. Everything just feels so connected there. And in that moment I felt that God sent me that turtle to tell me he’s got me. Sometimes I’ve asked God for a sign, but this wasn’t even me asking, but I felt so cared for regardless. That was my big moment of wonder this summer. To me, talking to water is talking to God and it really showed me how much he listens.

I have since continued to talk to the water and I encourage you to do the same. You’ll never know what might come of it.