Collecting Beach Glass
For quite a long while I have loved sea glass. Sea shells are nice, but something about the semi-translucent soft colors of glass washed up by the sea fascinated me. I longed to live near the ocean where I could collect these beautiful pieces to my heart’s content. A friend once told me she collected beach glass along the shores of Lake Erie, not too far from where I lived. I was never able to go with her, though, on her occasional trips home, and didn’t know the spot where she went. So I quietly dreamed of someday finding beach glass, and meantime admired and purchased jewelry and pieces from beach glass artists in the area.
Recently, though, another friend showed me where to search for beach glass nearby. Our first foray out yielded several nice pieces.
When you find something you really love doing, it fills a part of you that nothing else quite fills. It’s exhilarating, it’s rewarding. Fulfilling any of the passions you were given when you were created gives you a feeling of completeness. It is never without risk, and you have to step out of your secure zone at times, but it’s always worth doing.
Tonight I decided I would go to the beach spot again, before it got dark. The weekend would be a little breezier, and waves might make glass searching a little harder. I wasn’t dressed for it; but I used rubber bands to hold the legs of my slacks up, and had old shoes in the car, so I took the chance. I had my cell phone with me, I knew how to stay safe, so I ventured out on my own.
My first time out, I wondered if any beach glass collectors would resent that I was encroaching on their territory. Then I realized, the lake, like the sea, always has treasures to reveal. Almost immediately upon setting foot on the shore tonight I found my first piece of aqua blue glass. I gathered a large number of clear glass pieces, a couple of greens, a few more tinted pieces, and a few brown. The lake showed me her treasures, and I collected them gladly, reaping as many rewards as she cared to reveal.
Clear beach glass is common, greens, browns and blues are frequent colors. Then I found it, a lone red piece of beach glass! The odds of finding that color are one in three thousand, one in thirty-five hundred. Seasoned beach glass hunters consider themselves very lucky to find that color. Here I was, a novice, holding a rare red gem in my hands! I have crossed the line from gatherer to serious collector.
We all have passions in life. It takes courage to pursue our passions. Each time I step out for photography, or now beach glass hunting, I take a chance. Each time I pursue a new writing project, I take risks. The rewards are always worth the risks. Take chances! Pursue your passions! The feeling inside when you reach a goal, when you discover your bravery leads to greater fulfillment and joy, is indescribable!
For a look at today’s treasure trove, check out my photo page!
sineadtyrone 