The Sea Reveals Hidden Treasure Within the Heart

The wind was steady at 25 mph with the temperature below freezing. Even though earlier in the day my rational mind had said “no” to the possibility of taking a walk, I now felt the clear call to take a break from the office and to do just that. Saying  “yes,” I dressed in wool from head to toe and stepped out the door.

Initially I chose streets that offered a wind break from the strong wind billowing off the bay. A mile from home, I had the call to turn left and head to the beach. “Just for a quick look,” I justified in the ripping wind.

I stood at the top of the sand dune and took in the splendor of the sun that had broken through dark, active clouds; and how the light had created a band of brilliance upon the water, where the ocean met the sky. The call in my heart then encouraged me to venture, “down to and along the shoreline.”

My feet traveled along the edge of the ocean upon the sand and an intermittent blanket of snow. Bits of shells lay along the active shoreline as the result of the tossing, tumultuous sea.  A multitude of shells were also buried beneath the snow from days of wash up and winter weather.

A few minutes into my adventure, a small bit of shell emerging from the snow caught hold of my eye and heart. Even though only a portion of the shell was visible, I sensed it might be buried treasure. This was confirmed when I pulled it from beneath the sand and snow and uncovered a long-awaited find: a Channeled Whelk.

As I savored the beauty of the shell and the gift of how I received it, I was reminded of this truth: following the heart leads us to the precious jewels of life: the simple, pure joy of discovery — the beauty of living within the moment.