I’ve already shared about my love of collecting shells that look like they have a story to tell. I like ones with holes, imperfections, and shells that have been repurposed by new owners like coral, barnacles, and bryozoan colonies until they were deposited on the beach.
My sister-in-law called them wabi-sabi shells. One such characterful shell is this whelk.
The points are worn off, smoothed by the friction of sand and water over time. There are holes as if the surface had been slowly eaten away. I also love that it’s a blue-gray color, which is my favorite kind of whelk. The thing that really set this shell apart for me, though, was the way it grew. Instead of the growth lines being smooth and uniform, an easy transition, there is a jagged line where the growth seemed to be knocked off course. It almost appears as if another shell started growing within an existing shell, but it is all one piece. I don’t know what caused this anomaly, but I haven’t come across another whelk like it.
I immediately saw it as a visual representation of growth and how it’s different for everyone. In the case of this whelk, the growth is rough, maybe even traumatic. It’s visible, evident, and not something that can be hidden. It’s a scar, but one that shows persistence. There is growth anyway, despite the fact that it might be viewed as ugly growth.
When compared to a shell with beautiful, seamless growth, it’s hard to not see one as better than the other. Of course, being a lover of antiques, imperfect things, and wabi-sabi shells, I prefer the one with character more than the one that is about as close to perfect as you can find washed up on the beach. But, I think most people, especially if you can relate to the wonky whelk on a personal level, will see the shell with fewer imperfections as the better one.
When I put the whelks side-by-side, though, they are about the same size. They both grew.
I’m sure we can all agree from life experience that growth happens most often during difficult times, but it also happens through curiosity, study, reading, practice, hard work, persistence, and trying new things. Growth can be easy, smooth, and exciting. It can look seamless and lovely. But growth can also be hard, and jarring, and it changes us in a way that’s visible for better or worse.
When I looked at the imperfect whelk, it didn’t look ugly to me. It inspired me. Look at what you did! That looked hard and you just kept going. So, I picked it up and took it home. It got a place in my studio with some of my other favorite beachcombing finds while the more perfect shell went to the garden.
Another favorite shell was a whelk that was broken in just the right way so you could see the interior growth. I thought, sometimes the best way to share the beauty of your growth is to open up.
So, there you go… Deep thoughts about whelks with Marian Parsons.
I think this is what writing almost daily for 15 years has done to me. I’ve done it so often and so repetitively, that there seems to be an unintentional scan for things to write about happening in the recesses of my brain as I go through my days. I’ll often jot those ideas down quickly since they can be fleeting, but the lesson from this whelk has stuck with me. I hope it provides you with a little nugget of encouragement today.
Beautifully observed and written!
That would be a wonderful sermon for Jeff to use,
You never fail. I love your beautiful mind. I love the skeletons.
You never cease to amaze me. A true Renaissance woman! I have a few whelks that look very much like your scarred one. I will look at them from a new perspective now. Thank you!
This lovely post reminds me of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s devotional book GIFT FROM THE SEA. Have you ever read it? It is one of my favorites.
Before I opened your post I had just returned home from a weekly Bible Study. This was so moving and made me think of how comforting it would be in many life situations.
This is another lovely reflection! Thank you for sharing your gift of words… I echo the above comment–reminds me of one of my all time favorite books – GIFT FROM THE SEA.
Beautifully written! You could insert any living thing into the same article. Thank you.
This really resonated with me
I loved this post. In this crazy world of young women in their 20’s getting botox…afraid of wrinkles and aging??? A friend’s daughter, at 30 years old, got a mini lift recently!!! She looks like an alien with bent fish lips and has ruined her once natural good looks.
This post is very refreshing to know that there is someone, besides me, that finds beauty in not all looking or being perfect. Or what is up with everyone wanting to look the same? God is the Master Craftsman. I guess “they” think they can improve on what HE has created….well….. NOT.
This is true and why I like and have many antiques. Time worn beauty in items that were loved and used. Items that don’t need to be tossed into a landfill because of a few worn spots and maybe a chip or two.
I love that the shell, that many would deem “not right’ gets the place of honor….INSIDE your home.
Well said, Addie and Marian! Thank you for sharing your insights. My house is also full of imperfect antique and vintage items!
Could not agree with you more Addie. I wonder sometimes what is missing in their life to do this.
Not sure if I got encouragement from this post, but I certainly left with my curiosity soaring. I have never heard of a whelk in my life so I have googling to do. 🙂