Today, in a contemplative moment, I chose to stroll on the beach rather than jog. Most mornings, I am pressed for time to get my workout done before heading to the office. But this morning, I strolled to find the perfect seashell. Usually, when I am running, my gaze is on the distant marker, which keeps me focused on my goal, time, and distance. Very rarely do I look around at the water, the people, and nothing on the ground immediately ahead of me.
Intentionally strolling to find the perfect seashell, today, was cathartic. I had no image or preconception of what the ideal shell looked like, only that I would know it when I found it. First, there were few shells on the beach because the tide was high, which brought the sand to cover the rounds. But, there were plenty of other objects just as exciting to observe.
The beach was littered with jellyfish stranded and dying on the beach. For the first time, I noticed the beautiful blue translucent colors of this sea creature. Many times before, I noticed these jellyfish but did not stop to really inspect one. I noticed that the fish had several very long tentacles. In an article published by the Daily Mail, they claimed the Portuguese Man O’ War drifts just below the surface and has tentacles that can extend up to 160ft. The venom from these jellyfish can travel to the lymph nodes and actual deaths from stings have been reported.
I also observed lots of debris on the beach. Some of this debris washed up from the ocean, and many crustaceans found a home on the trash. There were a variety of birds and some abandoned fish: many twigs and seaweed, and footprints in the sand. There were many other observations, but these items mentioned provided enough distraction, that I completely forgot I was looking for the perfect seashell.
I did not find the perfect seashell; however, I discovered that sometimes in our pursuit of perfection, we might overlook other suitable choices. For example, we might look for the perfect mate or the ideal employee, which might never happen. But because we become driven to find the perfect seashell (employee, mate, and friend), we overlook the employee who gives 110% every day. We might ignore the under-appreciated employee or the mate who is not a perfect fit but is kind, loving, trustworthy, and more supportive than any other friend.
While searching for the perfect seashell, I noticed it was easy to see the debris and think of it as out of place or a nuisance. Sometimes, I found that it was convenient to abandon someone like a failing employee or friend or loved one without actually trying to understand the value of that person. For example, an employee who is a creative type, but gets pigeonholed into a linear engineering role due to organizational need, and fail miserably at that current job. Should we discard that employee? Or, perhaps, like the piece of rubbish on the beach could become a new living accommodation for the lobsters? For example, might that employee or person be repurposed to breathe new life into other parts of the organization or someone else’s life?
Today, I discovered there probably is no such thing as the perfect seashell. The idea of the ideal seashell is very subjective and elusive. Some individuals might have no idea how to identify a perfect shell. But, I learned to slow down and enjoy the moment, and the crustaceans on the debris. And finally, as I walked, leaving a trail of footprints in the sand, I was encouraged to know that our footprints or impressions sometimes might get washed away by the noise of the world. I know I have an opportunity daily to slow down and make new footprints.
Stan Brooks, PhD
