Believe and it Will Come

“Believe and it will come” I have believed in this mantra long before,  but looking for conch shells in Mexico I came to believe it even more. The day before I saw a family manage to find multiple large conch shells. Of the five he found, one was still living so he was generous enough to offer it to me, but I kindly turned it down because I would have much rather found an emptied shell. Plus, I was determined to find such treasures myself.

I told my father, who is my shell collecting partner, first amazed that I gave it back, but was then ready to go on one of our last days in Mexico to search of the best treasures to take back home. It was early morning and we were walking over the same rocks I had the day before, but this time in waist deep water, and we searched for these special conch shells. I’ve always had a keen eye for the smallest details but over the past few years, through meditation and mindful practices, I’ve learned to take one step at a time, focusing on just that moment. I searched close to shore slowly, as my father searched father out.

It was high tide which made it harder to find shell buried beneath the sand and crashing waves. It wasn’t until I almost decided to head back, after nearly an hour of searching, that a small voice in my head encouraged me, almost like a the known movie scene where one repeats, “If you believe, it will come.” And after repeating it to myself just three times I saw something buried in the sand, with its distinct swirl, barely showing itself through the sand. It was a conch shell, although aged a bit and large, beautiful, but then found another and then an even larger one in orange and green tones. But then I found another and even another. I had found about six beautiful conch shells, one I gave two beach goers, who were amazed, and were right when they said I looked like we were having fun, and I was.

I believed in something it came, my determined efforts were succesful. In a sense I stopped being fixated on the vast ocean, but instead focusing on the small areas and believing that these shells would appear. You just need to change your focus and open your mind. Notice the small details in life, just like searching for the perfect shell on the beach. You’ll appreciate not only the beauty of life but every little detail that makes it so wonderful.