Treasures

Hidden beneath the obscurity of daily life are treasures that the world will never know if not for dedicated
archaeologists. How much unseen value is hidden in the essence of a living, breathing soul? Buried beneath the mundane are lives lived and experiences not recorded in any book.

I went on a recent "dig" quite by accident where I encountered a friendly couple who ran a local business. As they waited on me, something drew me into a conversation beyond just the normal discourse. The man did most of the talking as his wife added some important details as she saw necessary. This man skillfully walked me through an abstract of the last forty years of his life, then fascinated me by leading me into a vicarious experience of some of the highlights from his story. His was not extraordinarily different from other lives but the passion with which he conveyed his thoughts and feelings were mesmerizing to me. I left the little store feeling like I had unearthed a great treasure - a treasure in a human vessel. I felt that his life was tangible - that I could take it out of my pocket and look at it and admire it.

How many times do we walk across the landscape of our lives completely unaware of the treasures that we trample? What if I had decided that I didn't have time for conversation that day? I would be this day just a bit poorer - a bit less filled. To whom do I owe for the richness that I feel today? I am indebted to that man and his wife who shared with me their life.