Sea Shells and the Miracle of Connection

A While wandering a gorgeous ocean beach on the glorious coast of North Carolina I was struck by the number of shells deposited there by the ocean. Thousands of shells of various sizes were displayed on the hard packed sand. Many were incomplete – their original design broken and molded by the power of the sea, thousands were so very tiny – shed by the creatures that inhabited them, left to become grains of sand, blending into the texture of the earth.

As I walked I noticed that certain shells caught my eye. With some it was their particular color or interesting pattern, for many others it was the beauty of their brokenness, while others’ wholeness and completeness were breathtaking. For many others it was how they stood out – apart from the rest of the shells, distinct, alone, almost begging to be noticed.

Being a woman who loves to collect beautiful things – especially mementos of peaceful vacations and beach walks – I decided to collect a few of these beauties. There was a sense of ritual in this search and a longing to capture what I was experiencing in this moment – peace, connection, awe, joy, splendor. Which of these shells would represent this for me? As I noticed, studied and chose a few delightfully beautiful shells from the thousands that were available to me that particular morning, I was struck by the miracle of connection, the miracle of the present moment and the richness of the gifts that are available every moment to each of us. In my choosing of a single shell, I became immediately connected to the unique creature that had lived in it and to the process that left it abandoned on a beach in North Carolina. What a gift to be given by the beach this morning! Out of the thousands, perhaps millions of shells available, I was given this one, in this moment. I realized my connection to the forces of nature, the cycle of birth and death and became deeply and humbly grateful for the miracle of life and the gift of the now.

In appreciating the connection to my shells I realized and experienced the preciousness of my connection to the people in my life. Life, like the ocean casts people into and out of my life – some stay, others leave; with some the connection is strong and enduring, with others it is frivolous, joyful and fleeting; and with others it can be painful, tedious or difficult. Yet each connection presents an opportunity, a moment in time for me to appreciate all that this person before me has lived and still dreams, for the miracle of his or her existence, for the gift and mystery of this particular connection in this particular moment.

I have my shells with me today. My connection to them has been slightly diluted by the elapse of time and return to "real life." But what remains in my heart is the lesson they taught me – connection happens in an instant – connection to life, to nature, to a loved one, to a stranger. Like a shell, each connection is a precious gift of the moment to be cherished and relished. It is in the recognition of this preciousness that peace, joy, awe, splendor, connection, and gratitude live. These are available today, now to each of us – when we choose it.

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