A Gift From the Ocean

One of the things I miss the most from living in New Jersey is being so close to the ocean. My favorite beach to collect sea glass for my jewelry was about an hour away (much different from the six-ish hour ride I have now to any beach!).

I look at it as an excuse to get back to New Jersey every once in a while and wander that beach.

Sea glass that is found washed up from the ocean or a large lake is a treasure like nothing else. Broken bits of glass are tumbled through sand and surf to round off the sharp edges and change the shiny surface to a unique frosted finish. And each piece is different. You may find some that are similar in size or shape or color, but you will never find two pieces exactly the same.

Kind of like people. 

Each person has experiences in life that have shaped them into the person they are today. Sometimes when we meet them they are in the process of having those rough edges rounded off. Or they are being polished into something wonderful, but it all takes time. 

Sea glass isn't ready to be made into jewelry the first time it washes up on the shore. It takes decades of rolling through the sand and being pounded by the waves, over and over again, until all the traces of what it used to be are gone.  

And the thought crosses my mind, as I pick up each piece of sea glass, "Where am I in this journey of my life? What rough edges are still being rounded out? Where am I needing thoughts or opinions to be changed?"

As a Christian, I have the confidence that I am not on this journey alone and that the things that happen have a purpose. I have to admit, some of the events in my life I am still struggling to figure out the whys, but I believe that it will make sense sooner or later. 

But like the sea glass, I am changing into something different and better than I was when I started. And that makes all the difference. 

  

Winter Dreams