September 26, 2016
Coquinas are really neat little shells but they often go
overlooked. They are really only the size of a dime or quarter. So they are hard to see
when walking along the sand. And when they are alive they are folded in half and burrow quickly in the
sand at the water’s edge. These little clams are really quite interesting when
one takes the time to analyze them. Each is so uniquely different then the
next.
I have passed by
Coquina Beach in Bradenton, Florida every day for a year on my way to work, never really thinking about the
significance of these little creatures. I only noticed the beauty of the water
and the sand.
In the last few weeks a good friend of mine started
collecting lots of Coquinas. He is a scientist and as he collected thousands of them and
started pointing out how each one has a different pattern, I began to take
notice. These little shells have individual patterns that are all different
just like snowflakes.
My take away lesson from these little shells is that life is
magnificent maybe greatest in the smallest detail. It is the little things in
life that help to remind me to celebrate the beauty of each day. And Coquinas
invite me to ponder the very special "miracles" of unique beauty that
surround humanity each day.
Reflective Soul
Longboat Key, FL
