Foreward
In my life there have been certain individuals, people as well as animals, which have moved me deeply. They have reached through walls of protection, common sense, and all the decorum I normally maintain, to touch me in a way that cannot be easily explained. They have come into my life unexpectedly, much like a soft tropical breeze in the middle of a harsh New England winter. Suddenly they are a part of my existence. Without knowing it, without understanding it they have become a very important part of my life. These beings, whether two legged, four legged, winged or finned gently etch their memory into my heart. They have come to shape the course of my life in an inexplicable way. These special ones are easy to recognize. I can look into their eyes and feel like I have known them forever.
This piece was written to remember two such individuals. The man I write about, Ray, inspired me. He was a testament to courage and strength. The time we spent together was years too short. Yet, the depth of our connection spanned, perhaps, lifetimes. His ocean counterpart is one of many whales who I have befriended, and in turn, has blessed me. Both remind me of life’s greater meaning and our ancient bonds that seem to survive death itself. I wish Godspeed to both of them on their journey into the unknown.
A young, male, Finback Whale died and washed ashore at Herring Cove Beach on May 21st 2009. He was 40 to 50 feet long. He weighed half as many tons as he was long. His nearly 50 thousand pounds of bone and flesh lay lifeless on our shore, in our community. It was speculated that he had been hit by a ship out at sea which caused him fatal injuries. Normally he would have sunk deep into the ocean. Nature would have taken its course with his remains. The tides however brought him to Provincetown.
One month earlier on April 21st our community had sustained another great loss. Ray Romanos Rizk an artist, philosopher, and gentle soul relinquished his earthly life that day in his battle with cancer. Ray’s inner promptings and a profound desire to paint brought him and his beloved wife, Grace, to Provincetown, to this community over 50 years ago. He too would have been called a wash a shore.
The leviathan on our beach seemed a fitting reminder; a parallel from nature to a man of such greatness. There are no accidents in nature. Everything and everyone is deeply connected. Land and sea are intertwined and reflect each other. The great whale and Romanos left this earth life one month apart. Both were giants in their worlds. Both left a tremendous impact on this community.
The world stopped momentarily for those who came and paid their respects at the edge of the world where sand meets sea. The whale was a legend that made many of the onlookers weep. He brought us in touch with our own humanity and, perhaps, our own destiny. Bigger than life his fallen body lay motionless on the sandy shore. Only the illusion of life remained as the tide buoyed his body into a soft cadence of movement. His red blood seeped into the sea. His life-force ebbed with each retreating pull from the gentle waves.
The world stopped momentarily for those who knew and loved Romanos Rizk as well. He too was a legend. Through his art, philosophy of life, and understanding of the soul he brought many of us to a deeper understanding of our own humanity. His destiny to create beauty with color and canvas was unmistakable. He gave his blood and his life-force to his art. The miles and miles of painted canvas that were his gift to life, was his inner voice speaking to us. The oil he told his story with was no less precious than the oil from whales of generations past. Their oil lit our streets and homes. Ray’s oil lit our hearts and souls. He brought us the joy that emerges from light.
The whale’s death and legacy touched deeper nerves than mere curiosity. For some it was a sacred event. For others it was an educational opportunity. And for others there was a nameless remembering of what it is to live and then to die. The whale’s massive presence on our otherwise pristine beach demanded that we stop, stop for a moment and feel the weight of such a death.
Ray Romanos Rizk’s death and legacy touched deep nerves as well. All across the country and beyond, people stopped and mourned their loss. Ray’s paintings adorn the walls of dozens upon dozens of homes in Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet and hundreds of other zip codes and postal regions. In each creation he sought a standard that blended technique and the perfect palette. He then added his passion and love. For those who knew Ray, he was not an acquaintance, but a friend.
Death puts life into perspective. It causes us to pause and reconsider our own lives. It reminds us that what we have is precious. Remembering those who have left us behind saddens us. It opens a door to reflect upon the past and to consider where we will go from here, without them. Their memory gives us the courage to live with dignity. Ray was truly a precious gift to this town, to his friends, and to the world. I am grateful to have known him.