Picking up treasures on pebbled shores reflected the journey through life's imperfections.
One highlight from our visit to T's grandparents in New Brunswick was picking sea glass.
Wonderopolis describes sea glass as pieces of glass smoothed over time by the tumbling of water, waves, and sand.
As glass soak in salt water and get tossed against sand, sometimes over 50-100 years, sharp edges become smooth and glass take on a frosted look.
The glass originates from broken bottles, jars, dishes.
The photo below shows the contrast between sea glass and regular glass.
T spent time every day searching the beach by his grandparents' cottage for sea glass.
I joined him for some of these walks as I enjoyed the soothing salt water air.
There were sporadic sea glass to be found.
One morning, we drove an hour away to Grande-Anse, a scenic town we visit every summer.
Some homes are right by the edge of the cliff overlooking the bay and look so tranquil!
There is a small pebbled beach next to a wharf where sea glass are always plentiful!
Each armed with an empty margarine container, we spent nearly two hours quietly searching.
It was good exercise for our knees and lower back!
Three generations of guys picking sea glass!
T really got into sea glass this year and did great!
Green, white and brown are the most common.
Blue is rare and red, orange, yellow and purple even more rare.
I found a beautiful lavender glass, which T took credit for when he showed his grandparents! 😆💕
We then enjoyed lunch at a side-of-the-road canteen, while T patiently sorted glass by colours.
For a kid with ADHD, he was super focused!
I focused on my cheeseburger and poutine. 😆
T noticed some blueish-white glass, which he put in the blue bucket. Just beautiful.
T's Grammy bought a glass jar from the dollar store to display our collective treasure and gifted it to T.
The parallel between sea glass and FASD is not lost on me: shattered bottles, perhaps beer and wine, refined into sea gems as they're also called.
A part of T's life will be forever impacted because of prenatal alcohol alcohol.
But his sharp edges can be smoothed with support, awareness and understanding.
Challenges that seem rough at the moment look and feel different in hindsight.
Just like sea glass can't be rushed, life itself can't be rushed.
Life is experienced.
This treasured jar will sit on the bookshelf in our family room. We hope to add to it over the years and for T to pass this tradition onto his children.
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