I’ve always been a seeker, a seeker of knowledge, friendship, love, laughter, kindness, perspective, and introspection. Seeking more always of what comes next, peering around the corner, and envisioning an enviable life. Seek and ye shall find, though what I sought is not what I was seeking. I have unearthed a different plan, a quest that has lead me down a magnificent path, despite one that has made me weary. One that I would have consciously avoided, but as with all of us and the lives we are gifted, I was never given the chance.

Shell seeking is one of my most favorite activities. Wandering the shore, wading in the shallows, peering carefully into the small bits of wonder splayed in the sand. Olives, twisties, and cat’s eyes are probably my most favorite but occasionally I am privy to the even more unusual, a sand dollar or even a scotch bonnet. Every rare once in a while, I spy a shell that takes my breath away, a tiny pristine conch shell, a miniature horseshoe crab, a perfect shark’s tooth.

Once I even found a seahorse, perfect and small, not much larger than my thumb. Seeking means being willing to explore, living a life ruled by a philosophy that values bravery over safety. What we happen to stumble upon is all part of the journey, those hardships that have the ability to define us are the one we least expect.

On some days, a walk along the shoreline may offer very little that captures my keen eye, seemingly shards of shells damaged on their journey to shore. Sometimes there are days and days or whole summers full of large glistening lettered olives or fighting conch.

Life’s seasons ebb and flow like the tides that sweep in the lovely gifts of a journey well-traveled. In the days or months or years where it seems all you cast your eyes upon are the slivers of fragments of the beautiful shells you expected, close your eyes and remember the next season is right around the corner and you must keep seeking the beauty in and amongst the broken, where the real treasure lies.