"What The Whale Taught Me" by Janet Spurr.

I never understood why people became so excited about whales until I visited Maui this spring.

My friends were eager for me to see whales for myself, but I was dubious. I'd seen them in movies or on TV. I didn't need to see them in person.

But then this spring, when I actually saw thirty foot high water spouts and sleek massive backs sliding out of the ocean, I was filled with awe. I dove into the ocean and heard the whales sing. Swimming underwater, 500 yards away from the great creatures, I could hear music that seemed as complex as a symphony. It reminded me of the greatest orchestras I had heard, but exceeded them because of the setting. What concert venue can compare with the depths of the tropical Pacific?

I saw a whale’s tail breaching above the surface for several minutes. I thought about a close friend of mine having heart surgery in Colorado, and felt sorrow. I forced myself step back from the possible sadness and let the experience of the sights and sounds of the whales wash over me. A couple I met told me that the breaching whale was probably a female nursing, and I later found out that my friend in Colorado had a successful surgery.

So what did I learn from seeing whales? I was reminded that nature has the power to heal and quiet our worried hearts, and I learned that the beach is even more beautiful when viewed from underwater.