Digging

Whether digging in our gardens, through our book bags or purses, or even old boxes, there's a small sense of urgency that we feel.  We are looking, searching, and sometimes even frantically rooting through the other pieces that stand in our way of finding what we really want.  Even the small tinges of anxiety we feel cannot nearly compare to the expectations we have, though -- after all, we wouldn't even begin to search for things at all if we didn't think we were going to find anything.

Most of my life I have spent digging.  Even today I was sorting through old boxes trying to unearth some of the early writings I had done.  I eventually found them after glancing through old yearbooks, scrapbooks, and diaries!  And, after looking at those things, I realized with great surprise that even in those documents I often expressed how I felt like something was missing from my life, or how I knew something was yet to come.  Even after all of those years, I still feel that way -- that my life is not nearly complete, and that there is still so much to come, so I continue to dig from time to time.

A few short months ago, I hit a major milestone in my life; I graduated from college, and was on my way to a big and bright future.  I still am on that track, even though I took a slight detour by digging through some rocks that looked like gems.  And this, my friends, is where digging gets tricky.  Sometimes we uncover things that seem so valuable, but after close examination, we realize that it was a 'knock off'.  We might feel ashamed, maybe embarrassed, or even scared to admit that we were wrong about our previous assumptions.  For some, it may even take years to admit to others that they had not been honest with anyone-- not even themselves.  That is why I'm stepping out of my comfort zone now.  I will admit that I thought I had found a gem, but it very quickly revealed that it was not.  I will also admit that part of my mistake was to not examine it as closely as I should have before grasping it out of the ground, but I will not take the blame for its false appearance.

Although this fake gem was a major disappointment, it was also a very good learning experience.  It reminded me to always examine, to never assume, and to never take anything for granted.  It also taught me that there is much value in a simple looking rock -- yes, they may not be so shiny or smooth, but they have character and honesty in their uneven surfaces.  They are not synthetic, so therefore they have stories that written history has no records of.  They make great building blocks and can even crushed to be made into the streets that connect us to our families and friends.  We may not always appreciate them, but they still remain, strong as ever.

So the next time your shovel hits a rock, examine it.  Although it may seem like a hindrance, it could contain more treasure than what you originally may have anticipated.  Same story goes if you find what appears to be a gem -- remember that it may not always be what it appears to be.  But, if you are lucky enough to uncover a true gem, remember to be grateful.  They are rare and beautiful and contain many precious memories.  Share them with those around you, and encourage them to continue digging even when they feel that all hope is buried.