By: Sister Mai-dung Nguyen, OP

This is the advice a friend gave me while clam-searching in Florida. Let me share with you what it means.

This past summer, my friends took me to visit Manasota Beach and Venice Beach in Florida, which is known as the “Shark Tooth Capital of the World.” There, instead of swimming or wading, people spent hours sifting through sand for shark teeth. Some even showed us the shark teeth they collected and gave us some.

Florida is home to both alligators and crocodiles, which I learned you can spot in rivers. My friends even found some in the river behind their house during my visit.

One Saturday morning, my friends took me to the ocean to clam-search, which I was excited about since I love clams. My friend, her husband, and I traveled by boat to an area that, although it was waist-deep, fluctuated in level. My friend’s husband dropped us off and left to fish elsewhere, leaving us to fend for ourselves.

At the beginning, I couldn’t walk or stand in the water because of the many holes beneath the surface. My friend could swim, but not well, and I didn’t know how to swim. At first, we struggled to balance, but we eventually learned to avoid the holes, stand, walk, and search for clams.

From time to time, we would spot clams, but they were too deep to bend down and pick up without submerging our heads. We used our toes to grab them while holding onto each other, which was challenging and made us laugh. Occasionally, we found clams that were just dead shells filled with sand, which was frustrating.

Being both barefoot, we accidentally stepped on broken shells, which hurt. We both got cut—nothing too serious, but enough to bleed a little.

 In such conditions, I began to imagine:

– What if my cut produced a sharp smell of blood and summoned the sharks?

– What if an alligator or crocodile emerged from the bushes nearby and attacked us? 

– What if a big wave suddenly swept towards us? 

I couldn’t see my friend’s boat; all around us was the vast ocean. I kept asking her where her husband was and when he would return. She replied, “I don’t know. But he will come back later,” and continued searching for clams, seemingly at ease. Meanwhile, I felt increasingly panicked. I called out his name more frequently, and occasionally, my friend did too. Despite our efforts, we still couldn’t find him and the boat.

Later, he arrived. Once we were on board, my friend told him, “Sister Maidung was panicking and kept calling your name repeatedly.”

He laughed and replied, “I was fishing close to your area. I saw you from the boat.”

• “But I didn’t see you,” I responded.
• “I saw you the whole time from the boat,” he insisted.

Later I realized his boat was higher than mine, so he had a clearer view of us. Then my friend added, “It’s fine to have a vivid imagination, but don’t let it stop you from enjoying yourself.”

My clam-searching journey in the water closely mirrors our quest to explore God’s call within us. Negative thoughts and images may arise—some influenced by social media or past experiences—but remember it’s okay to have a vivid imagination; don’t let it hinder your discernment in exploring your call.

Even if you can’t yet see or understand God’s plan for you, know that God is always watching over you and has a unique purpose designed just for you, just as my friend thoughtfully arranged our trip and her husband kept an eye on us from afar.

Remember, you are never alone; the community of faith is alongside you. Embrace the discernment process and joyfully explore what God is calling you to be, with trust, patience, and a spirit of adventure.

Just as Sr. Maidung reminds us, we should not let fear or overthinking hold us back from what God may be calling us to do. Instead, we are invited to trust in the Lord’s call and take the next step with faith. If you’re seeking to hear God more clearly and deepen your prayer life, we warmly invite you to join us for our Advent Mini-Zoom Retreat on Saturday, November 28, 2026, from 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Come take a pause from the busyness of life, spend time in prayer and reflection, and enter into the Advent season with renewed hope, peace, and joyful expectation as we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ.

To register and learn more, visit oppeace.org/events/. For additional information, please contact Sister Ana Gonzalez, OP, at [email protected]. We look forward to welcoming you!