"The Bounty of the Sea"

As I walk with soggy sand beneath my feet, the ocean gives up her bounty.
Moving slowly, I bend and pick, bend and pick, deciding which gem is worth some value to grace my collection. But, in my attempt to increase the appreciation of my surroundings, I find myself passing over the perfectly hones shells, and instead are drawn to the rocks and broken leftovers of the seas rage. Colors, textures and aging time guide my selection and I am fascinated by my own concentration. I look to the sea and ask myself "why's" and "how's" of the forsaken beauty that exists in each jewel that scatters the coastal shoreline. Imperfections, holes and cracks hold my attention and create more unanswered questions. I can't decide which ones should stay and which ones can accompany me home. I end up filling my basket with the discarded treasures that the ocean spit out before me. And I leave peacefully, returning with the bounty that I will call....remarkable.

Days later, I decided to display my treasures in a long cylinder vase, arranging the rocks just so. I filled it with water and all the colors came to life, reminiscent of a magic trick. This treasure now graces my Ocean themed bathroom and will showcase all the rocks, but the real lesson was finding beauty, not just in what appears to be the obvious perfection, but gladly appreciating the least of these.