Maybe it was 1985 when I was divorced from my first wife. The marriage lasted less than a year so many memories have faded. Somehow a glass jar of seashells survived and has provided no more than the important reminder of the eternal beauty of nature.
At first, it was fairly easy to divide our possessions. “You can keep the green towels”, she said. “I will take the blue ones.” “You can keep the cooking pans,” she continued. “I’ll take the bed because that was given to me by my mother.” And finally, “You can keep the glass jar of seashells because I know you worked so hard finding them at the beach on our honeymoon.”
Later, when lawyers got involved, green towels and cooking pans became 401Ks, alimony, and pet support (we had a cat.) The bed soon disappeared and I slept on the floor. To prevent lowering the morale of my employees, I dared not mention anything where I managed a jewelry store in Kansas.
It is strange how our minds linger with stuffed mental pictures and past memories. I am grateful for every obstacle, for they have always guided me on a far more green and luscious path filled with amazing people I have learned to love. It is easy to understand my every thought has led me here.
And the path keeps getting greener.
Although we shouldn’t put too much emphasis on material things, I am glad the jar of seashells withstood time. Life can be a great teacher if we are observant.
As I trace the ridges of a single seashell with my finger, I am happy for all my family and friends who have enriched my life and forged me into who I am today. Perhaps the greatest lesson was understanding that we should never doubt the master plan of the universe, for She has better plans for all of us.