Precious finds from the beach….I think I could walk until dark, just looking for shells, stones, broken pieces of anything returned by the salty water. I think my earliest search began when I was a 16-year-old, enjoying the beach for the first time.  Did I mention this was over a ten-hour drive for us? Most people’s first reaction is disbelief that I was that old before seeing the ocean. I have many family members that have still never experienced its awesomeness. For an entire week,  I scoured every shell that could be found. I was fascinated by the ability to find a whole shell, as well as scooping up shards of worn stones that once resembled a seashell. That summer, I toted a mega load back to West Virginia.

I currently live within a two-hour drive to the sandy strands of Carolina Beaches. Some days, I can almost smell the salt air, and feel the continual winds that blow on the East coast. Is that possible? probably not, but in my mind I am close enough to feel it. Every year my goal is to spend more time there than the year before. This year, the goal will remain the same.

Searching for shells is just something I love to do. They are not hard to find unless you are on one of the beaches that are cleaned every day (I hate that!!!) shhhh.. to all the Myrtle Beach diehard fans. It has only been within the last few years that I discovered an additional pleasure to shells….SeaGlass.

So many different types, colors, shapes and sizes – Each one different and unique. Where did it come from? I was determined to find out its story. I knew that I had to own at least one piece and focus later on finding my very own. My first stop was Ebay – they have everything right? It didn’t really matter to me where it came from, but I knew it was something I had to have. I knew that ultimately, it came from something I love, the sea.

So here it is.. my first “set” of seaglass jewelry. Inexpensive and easy to purchase, I wear it often. It doesn’t matter if these are manmade, it represents something that I love. I did search to find out how it came to be. There were the logical explanations of glass items that were once dumped into the oceans either on purpose or accidental – medicine bottles, soda bottles, even red pieces of glass tailights torn from cars that were lost off of barges in vast open waters. That’s interesting but not quite as intriguing found in the myth of the tumbled pieces of glass.

It was said to be “Mermaid Tears”. It was said that every time a sailor drowned at sea, the Mermaids would cry and the sea glass was their tears washing up on the shore.

Okay so maybe I don’t believe so much in the whole Mermaid story, but here are a few things that I do love about Seaglass….

The way nature takes something mundane… and turns it into something beautiful.

The immediate association with the salty smell of brine, the waves of the ocean and unstoppable time.

It has a distinct connection to the past that is as unique as a single fingerprint.

Time has to be used as a tool to smooth the sharp edges…making it delicate but strong.

SeaGlass is much like art. It is appreciated more inwardly by the person beholding it. I would love to tell you that “I” found these three pieces in my photo? I haven’t found one on my own yet… yet. As a matter of fact my eyesight is not what it used to be…the special part about these three pieces?  My daughter spotted them… but we searched for them together. We have them in a special container, referred to as “our” seaglass. She’s just like that and I love her for it!

A funny thing about our little collection, I was so excited to show it off, until one of my friends brought out her huge jar of every sized piece you could imagine!!! Where did you find that much seaglass I asked? She shared her secret….. did I covet her amazing jar of stones? No, it let me know that I have more than a good chance to find my own treasures, one piece at a time, and each containing my own magical memories.. Just like the shooting star I often say I have never seen? (There’s a chance for that too!)

This season of summer I will continue my search for the glass from the sea…..anticipating the memories that will attach themselves to it… timeless and each one cherished….just like each piece of awesome seaglass.