Why don’t you go ahead and share
what you have to say?” Aunt Ann said to Sally’s mother. By now Sally’s
curiosity was almost too much to contain.

“All right. Sally, your aunt Ann
and I have talked for the past few weeks about the possibility of your living
with her in Riverside and going to Loma Linda Academy next year,” Mother said.

Sally’s eyes grew wide.

“Loma Linda is a Christian school,”
Aunt Ann explained. “It takes about 20 minutes to get there from our home,
which is only an hour from this beach. And the good news is that a neighbor who
works in the office at the hospital nearby is willing to take you to and from
school every day.”

“Of course, it means that you
wouldn’t be living at home,” Mother said, tears welling up in her eyes. “I
don’t like that part of the plan. We would all miss you.”

Sally stood speechless, staring at
her mother, then at Aunt Ann.

“What about the tuition?” Sally
managed to croak out.

“I’ve spoken to the woman in charge
of food service at the hospital. She said you could work part-time in order to
pay your school bill,” replied Aunt Ann.

“We want to give you plenty of time
to consider this idea,” Mother said.

“I don’t need time to consider it,”
Sally said. “I want to go! I just didn’t expect God to act so fast.”

Everyone talked at once. Tide pools
forgotten, they walked together up the beach to the stairs that led to the lawn
on the bluff.

“I’ll have to clean up the spare
room,” Aunt Anne said, dropping down onto the blanket. “We’ve been using it as
a storeroom.”

“And I’ll have to get busy sewing
some new school clothes for you,” Mother added. “Mrs. Akers gave me a bonus
check this week. We can buy you a good pair of shoes.”

Sally stood looking from her Mother
to Aunt Ann and back again. They acted like two schoolgirls themselves. She
smiled.

“I think I’ll go for a walk,” Sally
said to the others.

“She’s in a bit of a shock,” she
overheard Mother say as she walked away.

Sally dug her toes into the sand
and stared at the ocean. “I’m free!” she shouted to the terns flying over. “I’m
free to follow my dreams,” she told the wave that leaped toward her and then
bubbled around her feet. “I’m free to discover God’s secrets in the ocean.”

Freedom felt wonderful, yet
different from what she’d expected. She suddenly realized that freedom included
launching out into the unknown. Even though the known may be difficult, at
least it’s familiar, she thought. Now the unknown stared at her. It beckoned
for her to leap in, and yet it scared her, too. She remembered how much she’d
missed Mother during the time at Juvenile Hall. She would miss her brothers and
sisters. Yet, isn’t this what growing up means? It’s about striking out to live
your own life and walk a new path. God had opened a door leading into her
future. I guess it’s normal for my thoughts to feel so jumbled up right now,
she thought. I’m only 14.

Sally walked down the sandy beach
and climbed up onto the rocks that lay scattered at the foot of the cliff. Waves
dashed into the tide pools and returned to the ocean, leaving behind food for
the tiny creatures that huddled in them for safety. Seagulls soared over the
ocean beyond the rocks. She could taste the salty air and feel ocean mist on
her face.

She spotted a deep, calm pool and
sat down on a smooth rock at its edge. I longed for this day and prayed for it,
she thought. Now that it’s here, I feel confused. I want to cry and laugh and
shout all at once. She took a deep breath to calm herself.

Sally looked into the pool that
held so many treasures. The clear water shimmered in the sunlight. A miniature
starfish climbed up the side of a rock on tiny tube feet. Hermit crabs teetered
about carrying blacktop shells on their backs. Fronds of seaweed undulated back
and forth with the coming and going of waves.

“An abalone!” she shouted, dropping
onto her knees and peering into the water at a small black abalone shell that
clasped the side of the rocky pool. The incoming water washed over it and
withdrew to the ocean. In high tide and low tide, it clings tightly to the
rock, Sally thought. Through stormy oceans or summer calms, the abalone presses
to the immovable rock. During the warmth of the noon sunshine and in winter’s
blast, the creature hangs on. “What a miracle creature you are,” she whispered.
“And I am like you in so many ways.”

Sally stood up and gazed out over
the ocean that hid from view great whales, tiny rainbow fish, and even scary
sharks. My future hides so much, she thought.

She did know that God had just
opened a way for her to attend a Christian school. She could dream of new
adventures that would come to her in the fall. And the idea that joy and
strength depended upon her connection with Jesus, her rock, had become a strong
belief.

Standing above the ocean she loved,
she made a decision. “I will go out and meet life with joy and courage!” she
shouted over the waves. “God loves me. He rescued me and put love for Him and
His creation in my heart. I will go on adventures and discover new things, then
share what God teaches me with others.” With a happy sigh she climbed down from
the rocky tide pools and walked into her future