Tracy likes to collect sea glass : fragments of broken and worthless glass which have been worn down and dulled by the movement of the ocean.
When she goes out looking for sea glass, she has to tune herself in to what she’s looking for. There are plenty of other distractions, countless different shapes & sizes of rocks, pebbles, shingle. Some sea glass stands out because it has an unusual characteristic – blue or pink. But as a rule, you have to really focus on it in order to find it. If you stood back and looked at the whole beach you’d never see it. If you focussed on a 3m square section, you’d still probably miss it. But when you get down closer to the beach, when you change your perspective and focus your attention, and when you expect to see it, you will. Because it is invariably there to be found.
On the Harbour beach at St. Ives, there’s a tiny patch of shingle in one corner. On a walk around the harbour floor at low tide, Tracy decided to head to this tiny shingle patch. Not only is it a small patch of shingle, it is a small patch of tiny pieces of shingle. There are almost no small pebbles/rocks, only tiny ones. But she was determined to find some sea glass – she had convinced herself it must be there.
As we looked together, we started to find it. Absolutely miniscule pieces of glass of all colours, Mostly white, some green, a few blue (different shades), a couple of brown, and one or two almost white with a slight pastel colour to them (pinks & blues). After its size, what surprised us most was just how much sea glass there was. It was almost invisible, and yet it was everywhere. The best approach was to sit in one place and scour the are around you – that requires time and attention, but is undoubtedly the most fruitful approach..
It is amazing. What you focus on, you notice. It’s been there all along – you just need to pay attention.
It’s also true that your expectations can shape your perceptions. If you expect your day to go badly, you’ll notice the negative things; but if you expect your day to go well you’ll notice the positives. We can choose to find and focus on the good or we can be on the lookout for and bemoan the bad.
What are you expecting? What might you discover or notice if you change your focus and perspective?