Touchstones

As a child in the late 1950s, I collected Petoskey stones from the sandy hills and beaches near where I lived in Cadillac, Michigan. I was fascinated by these unique stones, especially after I discovered that they were actually fossilized coral that once lived and thrived here in a prehistoric sea covering the land.

Hidden Pattern

And when I immersed the stones in water, I could see the intricate patterns of coral “cells” adorning them. I also discovered that when I polished them with sandpaper, the beauty of each stone became permanent — and strikingly beautiful!

Since I polished every stone by hand with various grades of very fine sandpaper, the process took many hours to complete; but I loved the result. I probably only polished half a dozen or so of these cherished stones, and years after I found them, I still have a large jarful waiting for me to finish.

🌊📜Your Message in a Bottle:

The Petoskey stone’s unique pattern of closely linked cells reminds me of how linked we are with our true friends, and how precious each one is. It’s grounding to hold one of these fossils and realize how interconnected we all are.

What’s your favorite touchstone? What physical object is a reminder of the support that’s all around you?