Blue Light ... Special!

It was a warm summer evening ... driving with the top down.

Friends were in the car ... new friends ... there was a lot of laughter ... and story-telling ... as we flew down the road ... from dinner to dessert.

The road we were traveling has been altered ... more than once ... in recent years.  Later, it struck me as funny that it was a road that I had spent years ... trying to get changed ... in another life.

It's a road that I rarely drive on.  So I was totally caught off-guard by the speed bump ... that appeared out of nowhere.  And when I say we flew ... well, it was a literal description!

Fortunately, we weren't going THAT fast ... just a little too fast for the speed bump. And the last minute braking ... kept it from being a jarring experience  of epic proportion.

It was more like a carnival ride ... with a sudden rise ... a little bit of glide ... and a thump of a touchdown.

Shaken ... but not stirred ... laughter & lively conversation continued ... as we made our way towards dessert.

A random glance in the rearview mirror ... brought forth the sinking feeling.

Blue lights!  How special is that?!?

Calmly I pulled over.  At least I was outwardly calm.  There had been no speeding involved.  I was sure of that.

As I dug around in my purse & glove compartment for license, registration ... all of the things the officer was going to ask for when he got to the window ... a text message arrived ... from those traveling in front of us ...

Hope you have your seat belts on!

It made me smile.  That's what friends do ... when you're faced with an uncertain situation ... they remind you of what's really important.

Dinner had been delightful. A celebration of sorts ... of good friends & family ... in recognition of God's grace and a positive outcome.  As the food was placed on the table, I was asked to bless the meal.

My friend that made the request had no way of knowing that praying out loud like that is always a little awkward for me.  My conversations with God are most often casual, run-on dialogues that are started and stopped at spasmodic intervals throughout the day.

And even though I am a great impromptu speaker ... somehow ... phrasing a spoken prayer always makes me feel inadequate.

I am not sure what I said ... something about friendship ... and the joy it brings to life, maybe ... all I know is I felt like I was rambling on and on ... making little or no sense.  There is no doubt that anyone else at the table could have done a better job ... of blessing that food.

Not sure why that ran through my mind ... as I was sitting in the parking lot ... waiting on the officer to approach ... but it did. 

"Do any of you know why I pulled you over?"  

The top was down ... so it was easy for him to address all of us. 

We all shook our heads ... Noooooo.

"Well, when you came across that speed bump ... there was a lot of ... air," he continued.

Sheepishly, I smiled and acknowledged that he was definitely right about that.  I went on to tell him that I didn't often drive on that particular road and wasn't aware of the speed bump .. until I was right up on it.

Taking my license & registration, he nodded, "There was definitely a lot of air!"

While we waited for him to do ... whatever he was doing ... back there in his car.  We started speculating on how long he'd been driving behind us with the blue lights on ... it had been several miles ... and an entirely different road ... since we had encountered the speed bump.

Even with the top down ... none of us had noticed the flashing blue lights ... behind us.  Too much fun was being had ... watching the road ahead.

I reminded my front-seat passenger of a conversation we had had earlier in the evening.  An
out-of-towner ... it was the circumstances of the week ... that had brought us together.  The connection had been fairly instantaneous ... and a real friendship has been forged by the experience.

"There is no doubt we could get into some trouble together!"  That's what I had said to her as she hopped in ... to ride with the top down ... to dinner.

... and again ... we both laughed at the absurdity of it all.  You see, all of our shared time this week has been an adventure.

The officer returned with his pad ... and my documents.

"Not everyone would be as nice as me," he said.  "Someone else would probably be giving you a ticket ... but I don't want to ruin your Saturday evening."

A warning. That's what he gave me.  Just a warning.  In writing.  To slow down ... to pay attention ... to focus on what's right in front of me.

He was very nice.  We all thanked him.  As my passenger shared with him about her out-of-town status and her own law-enforcement connections ... I felt the little prod ...

You see, it was the second warning of the week ... to impatiently wait patiently ... to keep my eyes on the activities at hand ... and my heart open to what's coming next ... to live fully in the moment ... to let God take care of the rest.

The first one had come from a friend ... earlier in the week ... who always makes me see myself through the eyes of accountability:

"Funny, you write about God's plan, listening for it, observing it, experiencing it.  

BUT you always get side tracked by MJ-time.  I want it NOW!  You have to move forward with things you are doing and let God do His thing. He has been doing a darn good job of things using God time since ... oh Day 1."

It was a dead-on bulls eye.  And in all fairness ... it didn't come out of the blue ... I pretty much asked for that one.  And my friend delivered ... right on cue.

That's what friends do ... after all ... they remind you of what's really important ... when faced with an uncertain situation.

I had to smile as I put all of the stuff back into the glove compartment and took to the road once again.

There was much laughter ... and good-natured ribbing ...  as we enjoyed our dessert treats. 

The experience was like a very personal ... blue light special.  That's what I said to my friends. 

Remember the blue light special?!?!

It was created in the early 60s by a K-Mart store manager ... to move ... slow merchandise.  You'd be wandering through the store when a voice from above would announce:  "Attention K-Mart shoppers!  There's a blue light special on .... aisle so-and-so."

It was a powerful message.  No matter what you were shopping for ... you stopped and focused on what was being presented ... in that real-time moment.  It definitely captured your attention.

A blue light special ... is a planned ... surprise.  Guaranteed to bring value to your experience.

God knows I love surprises!  And unexpected messages ... moments that cause me to pause ... long enough not to miss the value ... that's being added to my life ... in real-time.

No doubt He knew I would see the humor ... in the blue lights ... and that I wouldn't miss the warning ... to not get in a hurry for what's coming next ... to wait on Him.


I've had time to think about what I would have liked to have said ... as I blessed the food ...  I will share it now and simply bless the memory:

Hey, God!  Thank you so much for friends ... the kind who share life ... the trials & the celebrations.  And especially for friends ... who become family ... and family who become friends. Friends who open their hearts ... and their lives ... in real and genuine ways.  Each of us .. at this table ... are blessed beyond measure ... by the others here.  
May you continue to bless us ... every day ...

as our lives continue to unfold ... in Your perfect time ...

... and thank you, God ... for ... blue light ... specials.

www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com
(c) July 2012

A Clown Prince

A beautiful summer afternoon ... at the beach ...

I wandered into one of my favorite places ... to see one of my favorite people.

Sitting in the spot ... where he always sits ... when he's not wandering around the gallery regaling his guests with audacious stories of his adventures ... ahem ... or mis-adventures ...

... he was snoozing ... taking a little siesta.

I moved slowly and quietly from the door.  It gave me a chance to observe him unawares.   I had to smile.  The years have been so kind to him.

I was sure that he had noticed me ... that he was waiting to turn the joke on me ... to yell "Boo!" ... sending us both into a gales of laughter ...

Gently I leaned in ... placing a soft kiss on his cheek ... and whispered ...

 "If I kiss the frog, will he turn into a prince?"

Only slightly startled, he turned ... and when he realized it was me ... his eyes lit up and the most glorious smile one could ever imagine covered his face ...

He genuinely likes me.  I've always known that.
I imagine his "colors" changed ... when he saw that it was me.

An hour or so was spent ... catching up ... swapping stories.  It had been so long since our last visit that most of the sharing was brand new material ... at least it was to me.  Of course, each story was tinged with his personal wit & charm ...

I remembered you were gorgeous ... but I had forgotten how you take my breath away ...

Warms my heart ... every single time.

He showed me a few of his new pieces ... things he has created ... others that have been created for him.  All were special ... just like him.

Pretty much every visitor to Glenn Eure's Ghost Fleet Gallery ... leaves with a line drawing ... signed by the artist himself. If it doesn't read "Eure so beautiful" ... it's probably not an original.

I have a collection of his work.  Line drawings ... and water colors. Boats with my name on the back ... light houses ... monuments ... pirates ... whatever he has fancied ... over the years. 

"Have I shown you my clowns?"

One has to be careful with Glenn.  You never know if it's a trick question ... if he's setting you up for one of his silly jokes ... making you smile by design.

I reminded him that I have one of his earliest clown works ... painted on a paper tablecloth ... with a brush & paints from his dollar-store watercolor box that he carried in his pocket ...  it was done over lunch at one of our favorite places ...once upon a time ... a long time ago ...

Many an OBX visitor has a special Glenn Eure memory ... from lunch ... at the restaurant with the paper tablecloths.  After ordering, he always drew ... and sometimes painted ... an original something on the table covering.  Then with a flourish ... he would rip it out ... and breeze over to a neighboring table ... with a huge smile ... and an outrageous compliment ... for some unsuspecting lady.

Asking her name ... and where the party was from ... declaring her "absolutely gorgeous" ...  he would then personally sign the piece of art ...  turning an ordinary late lunch at the beach ... into a vacation highlight with his genuineness ... and his gift. 

Glenn Eure is ... a gift ... indeed.  And his friendship is a priceless treasure.

On the day he painted me that pair of clowns ... we had been talking about life ... and happiness ... and the masks people wear ... the face they present to the world. At the time, I don't think he knew we were talking about me.

He doodled as we chatted.  First, was a traditional male clown ... white faced with a painted smile. 
Then a beautiful lady clown ... with face paint ... but her smile was radiant & real.  She was happy ... inside and out ... and it showed ... through the make-up.

A happy ... beautiful ... clown.  That's a ... pretty ... rare thing.

He cut them out ... and created a very special piece with balloons ... matted & framed ... he gave it to me just before I left the beach.   He said the lady clown ... she was me.

It has hung where I can see it ... every day ... since then.  Reminding me ... that at least one person in the world ... loves me enough ... to always see me that way.

We both smiled at the story ... and the air was full ... of all those good vibes ... that show up when people who really care about each other ... spend some time together.

He's painted a lot of clowns since then.  There's a whole area in the gallery ... devoted to his clowns.  Bright, vivid colors ... people doing what they do ... hiding behind the painted on smiles.

"I want to show you my favorite clown, MaryJane!

Follow me!"

Of course, I should have seen it coming ... but I didn't.  I was so caught up in the moment ... in my good friend ... and his stories.

We turned the corner ... into the little clown nook.  He pointed to a frame where his favorite clown could be found ... and ... surprise, surprise ... it was me!

Set up ... as usual ... caught off guard by his playful spirit ... the mirror was reflecting me.  And on any day ... that you wander into the gallery ... his favorite clown ... will be YOU!

Laughing ... I turned to give him a big ole bear hug.  And I said a silent prayer ...
please God, don't ever let him change! 

All kidding aside ... he directed my eyes to the wall behind him ... where his clown collection was on display ... saying ...

"This one's my very favorite."

There on the canvas was another HAPPY clown ... so full of life ... and joy ...  the face paint was an enhancement ... rather than a mask.  Daring to ride a unicycle ... pedalin outside of the lines ... embracing the adventure ...
of what's coming next.

Shades of orange ... & brilliant turquoise blues ... exactly the same colors ... as the very rare pieces of beach glass ... that magically showed up along my path ...

Did I say that the painting ...  took my breath away?!?

Our visit was coming to a close ...
I had other places to go ... other old friends to see ... that day.  Showing me the clowns had been a bit of an afterthought ... we had had so much catching up to do ...

The moment was almost ... overlooked.

 Stepping a little closer ... for one last glimpse ... of the delightful clown ... the whisper came ...

"Take a look at the card, MJ ... the one with the painting's name ..."

Not really sure ... if the whisper came from Glenn ...
or from my best friend, God, Creator of the Universe ...

Doesn't really matter ...

 He has had such fun ... double-teaming me ... in unexpected places lately.

Pat, Glenn's amazing wife,  always names his works ... quietly adding a little bit of her beautiful spirit to each piece.   It's always been that way. She's the wind beneath his wings, after all.  

I glanced over at the little card ... with the name on it... everyone who knows me ... knows ... that I don't believe in coincidences ... words can't even begin to describe what happened next .

Time stood still ... tears ran down my face ... the emotions were overwhelming ... for seconds ... or maybe ... it was eternity ... I was aware of nothing but ... love.

Unconditional love.  Wrapping me up ... holding me close ... filling my heart ...washing over me with the easy natural rhythm of the ocean tide ... spilling out into the room ... rippling across the universe ...

Receiving ... that's the only word that comes close ...

It's a powerful word.  I looked it up, of course ... to be sure that I fully understood the feeling ...
and the message.

It means ... to come into possession of ... to act as a receptacle for ... to assimilate through the mind or the senses ... to permit to enter ... to welcome ...

I have thought about it ... a lot ... about the frog-kissing-prince encounter ... my clown prince, if you will ... and His gift to me.

I thought about it the rest of the week ... and on the long drive home ... and in the days that have followed since I returned  to life as I know it ... today.

It's taken me a couple of weeks to share this story ... re-living the moment still overwhelms me ...

My fairy tale is still unfolding. And in the quirky fairy tale of MJ ... princes are no where to be found.  

That's ok.  Princes are totally overrated in my book.  And riding off into the sunset ... with one on a white horse ... seems so predictable ... and ordinary.

What's coming next ... is just around the corner ... waiting to catch me by surprise ... to take my breath away ... much like the unicycle riding clown ...

He knows I need a little validation ... from time to time ... when I am on the verge of a BIG breakthrough of some sort ... and this one is more than a little BIG ... it's life-changing ...
it's really important that I get this ONE ...

Del was ready for me ...last Sunday ...

Receive God's love ... then live out of that love.

That's the starting point ... of love.

Love = Life

And earlier in the week  ... the little bear ... spontaneously re-affirmed ... out loud ... once again ...
that somehow ... my journey is one big love connection ...

  

I love you T-H-I-S-S-S-S much! 

That's what the little card said.  It's the name ... Pat gave .. to Glenn's favorite clown piece.  

That's what the little bear says ... every single time ... He speaks.

www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com
(c) July 2012

 

A Mayberry Moment ... A Manteo Memory ...

It was an off-season day ... in the early 90s ... on Roanoke Island ... Manteo, North Carolina ...
to be precise.

A dozen or so young girls were washing cars at the only full-service gas station on the island.
  Brownie Girl Scouts ... raising money ... for a camping trip when school was out.

Some girls were standing on the corner ... with signs ... waving to the local traffic ... inviting them in ... for a lather & a rinse ... followed by assorted once-overs with some towels.

Encouragement wasn't really necessary.  Manteo is a small town ... a close-knit community ... much like Mayberry.

An antique truck rolled up to the pumps ... for a fill-up.  The driver stepped out to chat with the attendant as he washed the windshield, checked the tires & pumped the gas.  It was a lively conversation and the laughter rang out through the parking lot.

"Wow!  That looks like Matlock!" said  this Brownie leader's daughter.

"That's because it is Matlock," I replied.  "Andy Griffith is our neighbor."

Boldly she strode across the parking lot ... with her great big Brownie smile ... her money bag ... and a Girl Scout cookie order form in her hand.  Politely, she introduced herself to Andy ... and asked if he would like to have his truck washed ... by the troop of girls.

And just as politely, he declined.  He said he was "mighty particular" about who washed his vintage truck.

Not one to take "No" lightly, she smoothly moved into the second ask ... like a seasoned pro ... "Well, then, would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?  They're just $2.50 a box ... and I will be happy to deliver them to you when they come in."


With a big smile, ole Andy signed up for a box or two.

Sadly, neither of us remembers which ones he ordered that day.

Elated by her success, she returned to the car wash area grinning from ear-to-ear.  Andy Griffith had bought some cookies ... from her!

As he was leaving, Andy toodled over to ask a few questions about the girls ... and their endeavor.  He was like that.  Curious ... always wanting to be in the know about community goings-on ... and being supportive whenever possible.

He chatted for a few minutes with myself and the other moms present.  With a wave, he wished the girls good luck with their carwash.  And as he turned to leave, he took my hand and urgently pressed it.

He thanked me for giving my time to the girls ... saying that he sure hoped there would be enough money raised so that ALL of the girls could go on the camping trip ... and he folded my fingers before letting go of my hand.

Andy hopped into his truck ... ahh-ooo-gah-ed ... and went on his way.

There in the palm of my hand, rested a $100 bill.  It was his way of making sure ... that none of the young ladies ... got left out ... or left behind.

Weeks later, when the cookies arrived ... we drove out to deliver them.  Andy lived on an estate with a fence and a gate.  I guess it was necessary ... in order to maintain some privacy.  It's not easy being a celebrity ... and all.

Sadly, those who were employed by him ... to be sure that any curious fans who wandered up ... respected his privacy ... didn't have the same Southern manners ... as the man himself.  Rudely, the man at the gate rebuffed the young Brownie ... as she attempted to deliver the cookies.

I didn't really remember that part of the story ... until she reminded me of it this week.

It's funny the things we remember.  She said she never knew about the $100 gift.  I find it hard to believe that I didn't share that with her at the time ... or in the re-telling over the years.

Maybe she'd heard it ... maybe she hadn't.  Doesn't really matter in the long run.

At the time ... selling Andy the cookies ... was far more important ... to her!  I reminded her of that.

Legendary, she was ... on Roanoke Island ... for her charm ... her charisma ... she was a cookie-selling celebrity ... in her own right ... after all.  Another of our neighbors, Virginian-Pilot editor Ron Speer, had already shared her story with the world.

It was the morning of my birthday that the text came ... from that little Brownie ... now an accomplished woman ... telling me that our old neighbor, Andy Griffith, had died.

She shared her version of this story ... and I shared mine.

It's like the end of an era ...   And it makes one pause ... wasn't life always simpler ... in Mayberry?

I had to smile ... thinking about ole Andy ... sharing a song or two ... and some cake ... celebrating my birthday with my best friend, God, Creator of the Universe.

Yes, indeed.  He is Andy's best friend, too.

www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com
(c) July 2012

Beach Glass

A piece of blue beach glass.  
That was the wish made as we ventured out on the first beach walk of my recent vacation.

Beach walking is one of my favorite things to do ... and once-upon-a-time ... in another life ... a friend introduced us to the hunt for ... beach glass.

White, brown, shades of green ... those are the common colors found along the beaches that we most frequently walk.  Little bits & pieces of another man's trash ... from another time & place ... washing ashore ... to be claimed as our treasure.

Animated & happy ... she was sharing with me about her new life ... in a place she has always called home ... and about the beach glass she had found in the month or so she's been back.

She had found some nice pieces.  But no blue.  Yet.

Blue beach glass isn't a totally uncommon find ... on our beaches ... but it's not an everyday thing, either.  Every piece of blue ... is special!

It was wonderful to be there ... walking on the beach ... with her ... each of us finding our way back to ourselves ... and to each other.

She had pocketed several small finds.  And I had not.  We laughed at my "unpracticed" technique.  She assured me that it wouldn't take long for me to get it ... back.

A few steps behind ... and a little off to the side ... she paused ... bent down ... and came up with a squeal of delight.

"Look!  It's a blue!  My first blue piece since I've been back!  You're my lucky charm, Mom!"

In that moment ... I knew that ... we were both ... going to be ok.

A little farther down the beach, I spotted a nice piece of green glass.  She had her blue ... I had a green ... life was good!

Out of the corner of my eye ... I caught a glimpse of the most vibrant blue-turquoise color I have ever seen.  There amongst the broken shells & sea rocks ... was a bead of some sort ... and it was glowing radiantly.

It was fairly large ... and because of it's rich color ... I was certain it was going to be a piece of plastic or other artificial substance.  

Seconds later, she spied it, too.  Awed, we were ...and a little breathless.

She stepped aside ... allowing me to claim my prize.  It felt warm in my hand ... it was vivid and bright ... and I could feel the energy of the ocean emanating from it.

It is one of the most amazing things I have ever found ... on the beach ... or anywhere, for that matter ... 

I have shown the glowing blue orb ... around a lot since then ... it's still radiant even though it has lost a bit of luster since it left the surf & sun ...

One friend suggested that it might be radioactive ...

On a different day, I returned to the same stretch of beach ... early in the morning.  There were dozens of people there ... ahead of me.

Most were walking the same route as me.  Head down ... eyes focused on the small, immediate area at their feet ... taking teeny, tiny baby steps ... some even had visors or hats pulled over their eyes to narrow their line of sight ... doing the beach glass shuffle ...

Searching for beach glass is much like life ... if you want to find something special, you must keep your eyes on what's right in front of you ... instead of wondering or worrying about what might be over yonder ... or what someone else might be discovering on their walk.

Not to mention ... that it's quite possible for hundreds of people to pass right on by ... without ever seeing ... the special prize ... waiting to be found!

And, of course, everyone's carrying a little bag of some sort ... to put their treasures in for safe keeping.

As I walked ... back and forth ... on that second beach visit, I passed a much older woman ... coming and going.  She had her head down ... visor on ... and was carrying what appeared to be the largest ziplock bag I have ever seen ... bigger than the gallon size, without a doubt.

On the fourth pass, we spoke.  I asked her if she was having any luck ... finding what she was looking for on the beach.  I have no idea ... that was her reply.

So I asked her to show me what was in her bag.  Gingerly she held it up.  There were rocks, broken shells, pieces of wood ... other random things.

My husband & I moved here a couple of months ago ... retiring ... she said.  And each morning I have gotten up to walk the beach ... we live just over there a ways.  She pointed back towards the beach road.  All of the people on the beach when I walk are carrying little bags ... and they stop from time to time to pick up ... something ... examine it .. then put it in the bag, she continued.

Wanting to fit in ... to belong ... in her new home ... she decided to do the same.  Only she honestly didn't have a clue what to pick up ... so she decided that each day she would gather things in her bag ... randomly ... and then once she got home she would unceremoniously dump it all into the trash.

As for the size of her bag, she told me that she figured if she carried a big bag ... and filled it up ... people would think she was a seasoned collector ... and that she was finding & claiming the good stuff ... out from under the noses of everyone else.

It made me smile.  I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wee snack size ziplock bag ... and showed it to her.  Inside was a couple of small pieces of white beach glass.

Her eyes lit up ... and she asked, Ohhhh!  What's that?!?

So I took a few minutes and told her about beach glass.

Beach glass ... or sea glass ... is a piece of glass that has been tumbled by natural wave action to the point where there are no sharply-defined edges or corners, and the water along with sunlight and tumbling action have produced a unique frosted surface covering all sides of the glass.

Laughing at herself, she dumped the contents of her big bag onto the ground at our feet.  And we spent a few more minutes in a deeper philosophical conversation about the little things in life ... being the ones with the most value ... the most meaning.

I gave her one of the small pieces of white I had found that morning ... and wished her well ... on her journey.  It was a significant encounter.

Resuming my walk ... I wandered onto the same shell bed where I had found the beautiful turquoise piece earlier in the week.  I was feeling a little despondent because I had only found the two small pieces of white.

You see, it hadn't taken long for me to get back into the groove of the beach glass thing.  And in the past, a beach walk was one of the places where my best friend, God, Creator of the Universe taught me to hear His whispers ...

... and finding a piece of glass ... other than white ... was often an acknowledgement of a prayer heard ... a harbinger of an unseen blessing already on its way.  And I had come on my vacation ... to the beach ... in search of some answers to my BIG life questions. 

So pondering ... I was ... on the bits & pieces of my life ... as I was focusing on the fragments of things scattered along the beach.

Of course, the little orange pebble caught my eye.  Orange is one of my colors.  Even in my early beach walking days, I was attracted to the orange things.  I have random pieces of orange shells ... orange stones ... picked up & carried along ... simply because I liked them.

So I eyed the orange fragment ... and thought to myself ... do I really need another little orange pebble?  They really aren't ... anything.

Pick it up! Put it in your pocket! ... came the urgent whisper.  And a nudge.  Sure it's a little thing ... but if it makes you smile, then it's of great value.

I laughed at myself as I placed it into my bag ... finding special in ordinary things ... it's what I do.

All through the week, I showed off my treasures.  Everyone was immediately drawn to the lustrous turquoise bead-like piece.  It shines RARE & BEAUTIFUL from it's very core.  Impossible to miss the specialness of it ... even to the untrained eye.

Eventually, my pieces were  seen by some who were in the know ... as far as beach glass goes.  First, was my friend who taught me about beach glass all of those years ago.

She oohed & aahed over the significant piece.  Elated at my BIG find. Then she poked her way through my other random pieces of white & green ... and a little yellow pebble ... and another rock or two.  She lifted the orange bit and gave it a once over.

I know, I know ... it's just stone, I said. But I liked it! 

I reminded her of  all of the times I had presented her with a piece of something orange ... and she would always shake her head and say ... It's just a stone, MJ ... pretty but just an ordinary rock.

She smiled sagely.

This is NOT a stone, MaryJane.  Or a pebble.  Or a rock.  THIS is a piece of glass!

That's what she said ... and then she showed me ... why.  How it was that she knew what it was ... and my naive inexperienced eye missed it completely.  The validity of the find was confirmed by others with a trained eye throughout the remainder of the week.

A piece of orange ... is rare ... very rare. 

That's because in the history of the world there has been very little orange glass made ... consequently, there is not much of it floating around in the ocean ... as trash.

I looked it up.  You know, to see just ... how rare ... it was.  It's like 1 in 10,000!

Funny.  I chose something  ... simply because I liked it ... only to discover later that it was something rare ... and wonderful.

Nothing about my vacation unfolded as planned.  At least not as I had planned. His plan proved to be more amazing ... as always.

I am going to have the two rare pieces of glass made into a piece of jewelry.  The brilliant piece of turquoise ... and the subtle piece of orange.

Unexpected finds ... in an unexpected place. A little bit of beauty ... and magic ... waiting there for me on the beach.

A reminder ... a good luck charm ...  it will be ... that 10,000,000 is only three zeros away from 10,000 ...

... and the desires of my heart ... are most likely ... within easy reach ... just waiting to be discovered!


www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com
(c) July 2012