Treasures in the Sand

Have you ever considered the resilience of a sand dollar? These small round flat spiny echinoderms are some of the most prized gifts for hopeful beachcombers. Today, I took a walk along the beach. I had a very simple agenda to embrace the moment, enjoy God’s beauty, and feel the inspiration from being close to nature. I also wanted to test the healing progress of my Achilles tendon. As I walked along the shoreline, I noticed the birds. The small sandpipers were fervently pecking away at the morsels of goodness in the sand. I noticed a pelican gliding just above the waves and also how it seemed to be flying in place as it patiently waited to dive for fish. How does a bird fly in place? I wonder if that is similar to “being still with a mile?” A few people passed me walking in the other direction. A golden retriever seemed to be laughing as he splashed in the water to retrieve his stick. I mentally commented to myself that the couple wading in the water were utterly crazy! Although the sun was beaming, it was 49 degrees and quite windy. I continued my beach stroll and my thoughts settled on sand dollars. Why do people spend countless hours searching for sand dollars and unique shells? What is so special about them? I began to think about how a sand dollar can be tossed by the waves and preyed upon by other sea creatures. Their respite is to bury themselves in the sand for protection. And when their life cycle is over, they wash upon the shore to the delight of hopeful beachcombers. However, it is a treasure and unique find to come across a sand dollar that has withstood the elements and remained intact. Usually, they are crushed by the force of the waves as they topple ashore. Could it be a symbol of courage? Or perhaps resilience? Could a sand dollar be a symbol of hope? And then while my thoughts were dancing in my head, I saw out of the corner of my eye the sparkle of a white round disc lying in the sand bar just beyond a tide pool. I stopped to get a closer look. I couldn’t tell if it was a whole sand dollar, and yet I stood staring… mesmerized by it. I glanced down at the water that kept me from reaching it with my hand as I paused and considered my options. If I wanted to hold that sand dollar, I had to walk in the freezing cold water. Surely, I was crazy! Just like the couple I noticed earlier walking in the water. And then, my perspective began to shift. The water was simply an obstacle keeping me from inspecting a sand dollar more closely. I reached down and pulled off each of my shoes and socks, rolled up my double layer of long johns and yoga pants and proceeded to wade through the water. To my delight, the sparkling disc was indeed a whole sand dollar. I continued to walk in the water, laughing silently at myself, and discovered several more sand dollars. I also noticed that the cold water felt soothing on my heel. A couple reflections about this experience stand out for consideration. First, my mindset completely changed with a 180 degree turn of how I was thinking about the water. Secondly, the sand dollar became even more special because I had to work a little harder for it and make an intentional decision as to whether or not it was worth my effort. Additionally, that effort was only to discover whether or not it was a whole sand dollar. All of the effort was exerted with only hope for the reward. How often do we have a fixed mindset in life? How often do we allow our mindset to open with discovery? Overcoming adversity is encouraging and rewarding. Viewing obstacles as an opportunity to add value can influence our outcomes in life. Take a leap of faith! Step out with hope. And follow your own life adventure with an essence of discovery.