Reub's journey

12 January 2016

Clarity


 We were at this one beach a couple of months ago, a place well-known for agates washing ashore.

 Agates, semi-precious gemstones, are tiny gifts from volcanic activity long ago. They wash up on certain beaches along the west coast quite commonly.


They hide among the millions of beautiful wet pebbles shining in the sunlight every day.


There weren't many of us searching for agates that day, but there was this one guy who knew what he was doing. We approached him and asked to see what he'd found. He opened his fist and said, "This clear stone here? It is by far the oldest. Only the old ones have clarity." I wish I'd taken a picture. He had a single crystal clear gemstone in his hand. It looked like a diamond, sparkling obliquely with all of its edges rubbed off.


 Clarity. I thought it dissolved with time.


 Things become less black and white, don't they?



 Memories fade.


 I don't know, though. Maybe there's some kind of distillation that comes with age.




The young search for clarity.




  Does it develop with time?



 Meanwhile I watch the clouding eyes of my old dogs. Clarity?



All that really seems to matter is the warmth of an old friend and a soft pillow for one's head.


22 comments:

  1. Awww...your dogs are cute! I have an old dog too.

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    1. I know, Linda. One of the many reasons I follow you. :)

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  2. awww. i've got two old girls here, too, probably in their last winter. *sigh*

    loved the rocks with the stripes.

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    1. It's kinda hard to have two old dogs at once. I didn't plan for this.

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  3. No gems that wash up from the sea can even compete with the eyes of beloved dogs! This post is a gem, Kerry.

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  4. Nicely done! Clarity. Sometimes we really do not want that. We like the vagueness of life. I would spend hours on that beach as I am a treasure hunter of the natural.

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    1. That's true, Tabor. Clarity is sometimes brutal. And that beach? You'd never be able to tear yourself away.

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  5. Let me be perfectly clear; it's a fine post.

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  6. Clarity grows as we age and realize the waters are always muddy.

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  7. This is a gem of a post from a gem of a person. I'm very clear about that.

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  8. Been there done that with a blind dog, and it was awful. There is the option of cataract surgery if you're dog is sedate enough to rest afterwards.

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    1. Not bad enough for surgery yet. And not at all sure I could make them rest. As soon as someone rings the doorbell they'd go all bonkers.

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  9. Beautiful and sad post at the same time. I'm sorry about your dog.

    Greetings from London.

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  10. "... the warmth of an old friend and a soft pillow for one's head." That's all my Slim girl needs.

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  11. Your dogs are so sweet! My 15 year-old retriever mix has cloudy eyes. He can't see well at all, especially in the evenings. He follows me outside slowly and cautiously, staying close to my hand that I hold out so he can go by scent.

    Interesting about the gemstones that wash up on the beach. Would love to search for some next time I'm there.

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