The Shell
It was a beautiful sunny day. I was 12 years old and my sister and I had rode out with Aunt Amy to Papa and Grandma Horne’s fish camp. They had a plain cabin sitting near the Satilla River in South Georgia. Along the river were live oak trees and cypress trees. It was a beautiful sight with the tree branches hanging over the water. Uncles and Aunts and cousins were also there.
The men would go out on the river in jon boats to fish. They were gone for a few hours. It seemed like it was leisure to them. When they came back they would clean the fish. Afterwards, Grandma would fry the fish. She had already cooked other foods like fried venison, flapjacks, cornbread, biscuits, collard greens, grits and probably other dishes. She always had sweet tea made as well. The cousins would be playing while the Aunts and my Grandma talked and visited.
I loved listening to the grown ups talk. Sitting to myself, I could take in a lot of conversation but not really have anything to say. I was really delighted when Aunt Amy talked so much to me. I didn’t know her very well because she and my uncle were young newlyweds. We walked outside up the long, sandy lane. I remember feeling important and like-able to her. Aunt Amy was sweet and told funny stories too.
As we were coming back to the camp house, my eye caught something in the sand. It was a shell the color of the sand. Sandy colored hiding in the sand, but shiny and smooth. I was so happy to find such a treasure! I picked it up and brushed it off. It was so beautiful to me and I was going to take it home for my own. I wondered how the shell got there since we weren’t at a beach.
When we got back to the camp house I showed Grandma the shell I found. She said that other shells had been found there but not one as pretty as this one. Then she said, “I better keep it so it won’t get lost.” She went to place it on a shelf. I’m sure I must have looked at her hurt, not understanding why she thought I’d lose it. Next thing I knew Aunt Amy protested to Grandma for me. She said, “But Tanya found the shell and she won’t lose it. Let her keep it.” I was so happy Aunt Amy took up for me and believed I could keep it without losing it!😊 I kept the beautiful, shiny shell with me and took very good care of it!
When I brought my shell home, I kept it very carefully in a special place. I might have changed places where I’d keep the shell but I always knew where it was at. I’d take it from its place and remember again how priceless my shell was to me. Yes it’s a beautiful shell to me but more so it reminded me of that lovely day when someone showed an interest in me and took up for me.
At my high school graduation I was given a small cedar box as a gift. I kept my shell in that box along with a few other treasures. I hadn’t seen Aunt Amy in years because she and my uncle were married only for a year or so. I wondered how she was doing in life.
I did get to see her years later…..
I was married to Ted, and had our first son Jed. We were invited to my cousin’s wedding and I went bringing Jed with me. The wedding was nice, but small, out by a river, on a covered dock. There was Amy with a toddler son! I was excited to see her but couldn’t say anything til after the wedding was finished . Afterwards I did say hi. She looked at me but with no smile. I didn’t know if she remembered me so I told her who I was. She straightly said she remembers me but didn’t smile. That was all. A little while later Amy’s little son was playing with her keys. I remember being afraid he was going to throw the keys into the water. Plop!!! That’s exactly what he did! Amy was stressed and aggravated. A boy offered to get into the water and find the keys. He got in the water, and searched around feeling on the bottom of the shallow water until he found Amy’s keys. She was so relieved! And I was relieved for her.
It seems like I could have been hurt at Amy because she wasn’t nice to me that day, but I just couldn’t be. There was so much I had learned from her back on that day at the fish camp when I was a girl. She helped me to feel worth and gain a little confidence. Not in a prideful way, but in a way that made me want to pass it along to others. Especially others who needed a friend. The shell reminds me that each person has worth and that Jesus is no respecter of persons. He loves each one of us (YOU!😊) with an everlasting love. He has given His life for us so that we can live unto Him. It’s a life of worth and purpose.
”He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.“
Psalm 91:4 KJV
