The Panoramic

I was on the beach the other day. The tide was far out and because of the storm that recently passed over the east coast, the waves had made a sand bank the week prior. That morning, the waves were breaking a hundred yards from the shore and the tide was amazingly swallow. All these elements--last week's storm, the calm tide, the swallow water, the sand bank--created the perfect conditions for a beach full of seashells. I spent the entire morning hunting for the perfect one. I kept my head down for several hours, so much so that by mid-afternoon I had a headache originating at the base of my neck.



I found a few good shells: one that was gold and well-polished, another which was a rare purple color that I could easily make into a necklace, but in several hours of searching I did not find one that absolutely took my breath away. I wasn't satisfied. It was not until well in the afternoon when I sat down near the water's edge to take a break, when I noticed how beautiful the day was. The waves were gently crashing on the freckled sand. The sky was cloudless and a hazy pink color that was gently reflected on the surface of the ocean. I had spent the entire morning looking down. I had devoted several hours looking for the perfect specimen, while the entire time I was missing it because I never looked up. I missed the big picture when ironically, it was exactly what I was looking for. . . something to take my breath away.




This happens to everyone, all the time. Unfortunately, many times we never realize it. We spend our lives searching for the perfect job, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect vacation, the perfect outfit, the perfect date. We pass up many of these because they have a flaw: they are too weak or brittle, their shape or color isn't unique enough, or their edges are rough. While the entire time, perfection is right in front of us.


Near the ocean, I found some good possibilities but nothing perfect. I was focusing on the tiny flaws--only pieces--of the beach rather than looking at the beauty of the entire picture...this is why I was unable to find perfection. Is this why we are so often disappointed? During our search for ideal--marriage, career, pair of shoes--do we focus only on the inadequate pieces, the pieces that are only disappointing when unassociated with the flawless entirety? The seashells were beautiful; they were all perfect when I saw them for what they were...a mere portion of the whole picture. We must remember to look up more often.