I'm sure that most people, who have ever ventured to the beach, have noticed many shells along the shore. I've never been one to 'collect' sea shells - at least not until yesterday. I took the daughter of a friend of mine to the beach. As we walked along the shore, waves chasing us up and down the coast, she began to notice a variety of intesting shells, full of character; full of stories yet to be told. She began to show me with a smile, one after another. Every so often, she would place one delicately in my hand and say, "Here, Ms. H - you can have this one."
After a few moments, I found myself searching for interesting shells; sand-filled treasures, and came across a set of shells like the one pictured below. I said to my young explorer, "Look, a butterfly." She peered into
my hand, eyes smiling. "Here, Maria, this one is for you." She turned it over and over in her hand. She glanced at me, and I knew our mission was set: a search for "butterflies." It took us a few minutes, but we found another, and another, and another.
During our search, I learned a very valuable lesson. My criteria for looking for butterflies were the lack of flaws; practically perfect in every way and brilliant in color. Maria's criteria was much different. In fact, I don't think she had any. She was just so excited to find them, to discover each treasure. One in particular she handed to me was a beautiful shade of lavendar on the top side, and a deep, royal purple on the underside. However, the lower, right-hand portion of the "wing" was broken. I contemplated tossing it aside, but she saw such beauty...so, I held it.
She didn't see imperfection, she only saw the beauty. Oh, that I could hold fast to that lesson - one learned from a 10 year old little girl and butterflies on the beach.
Beautiful!
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