The sun was peeking over the horizon, coloring the sky with pinks and oranges like a perfect painting. I strolled across the warm sand, the grains so soothing to my tired feet. The sun felt comforting to my body, like a warm hug from a friend I hadn’t seen in years. I squished my toes back and forth to make sure I was at my favorite place on earth.
The seagulls made their rounds for morning dining, bobbing in and out of the water and calling each other. I set about seeking a perfect spot and perused the waves. The tide was low, making it an ideal time for shell picking.
My goal was always to find an intact conch shell. Lettered Olive shells were in abundance most days, but not this morning. Plenty of small, perfect, scalloped seashells, white with a touch of orange, brown, and beige, or midnight black, availed themselves.
I took a couple more steps to a little pool, warmed by the sun’s rays. Finally, I discovered a Lettered Olive shell. I gathered it up, rinsing off the small colored pebbles and tiny pieces of sand. A closer inspection revealed this shell to be the residence of a small, clawed individual. Regretfully, I placed the shell back in a wave and watched it roll back to the vastness of the ocean.
Seashell picking was often about wondering and thinking. The ocean, so immense, could make one feel so small, but somehow still relevant to this moment in time. This was the place where I could breathe and listen to my own soul.
As I settled under my umbrella, I pondered that shell. I was so excited to find a Lettered Olive in one piece that I nearly missed a minor detail: it had an owner. It wasn’t my treasure to keep. It was in my grasp, but only to be admired and set free.
Life is like that little shell. We search adamantly for relationships, new job opportunities, and the realization of dreams. We can even hold them, see them appear, and be ready to move forward. But in our excitement, we miss a tiny detail. The moment is meant to be just a moment. Everything is not in place exactly as it should be. Only God can make that happen.
Always remember that the timing of your life is in God’s hands (Isaiah 60:22).
Jamie Campbell is a writer.