Gifts of a Sand Dollar
By Liz Hekimian-Williams
I guess this New York City girl is now a nature
enthusiast to the extreme! Our recent sand dollar
experience proves it.
Do you remember that famous story about a
girl that
throws a starfish back into
the sea one at a time along the
shoreline? When the girl was told by an
onlooker that what
she was doing wouldn't matter much, she replied
"it matters
to that one" and threw another starfish back
into the sea.
Well, I have a sand dollar story to share. The other day
we
happened upon a little island while boating and we
couldn't
believe how many live sand dollars were in the water and
on
the sand, green, fuzzy and thriving. They
weren't white and
dry like you buy them in a store. My kids were really
interested in them and so were we adults, actually.
Other kids were getting them out
of the water and hauling
them home, showing them off to us,
and even offering them
to us. My family enjoyed
holding them and looking at them,
but then we'd each
throw the sand dollars back into the water...
to keep on living... and we left with
only memories
as souvenirs.
Now I wasn't always like this. In fact, when I was a
teen,
my folks took me to the Bahamas and we had some
natives
dive down and get us a couple of starfish that we
brought
back as souvenirs. Back then it seemed like the most
normal thing to want to do. I
still remember the shock on
my kids' faces when they first
would hear about my youthful
vacation and the starfish
experience, though. They invariably
asked why would I do that
because didn't it kill the starfish?
Boy that made me feel lousy.
Turns out they had a very good point. I've learned
from
life, from my kids, I don't know from where else
exactly
but now I feel the same way as the kids do. I wonder,
why
DID I want to do that?
Oh well, the past is done. But now, we CAN save
the sand
dollars (and the starfish) one at a time at
least.
I guess the other day we all just wanted to save this
little bit of marine life. We cared about the little
guys
in nature. I thought, "now what would
happen if ALL the
people who came here took the sand dollars out to
keep as
souvenirs? Then we wouldn't have had the special
magic
we found for a little while
together on that little strip of
sand and sea. And my teenager wouldn't have
said "That
was cool, let's go back there. I
liked all the sand dollars
that live there". This straight from the
mouth of a known
computer enthusiast who spends as much time as
possible accompanied by his
computer!
With each passing year I can better see
the importance of
protecting and trying to save the environment and
wildlife.
Have I been better educated? Am I just more mature?
Maybe.
But I think it's more because I can see the
picture better
through the eyes of my children who seem
to see the world
through a special focus and help me to see some
facets
that I might otherwise
miss.
So let's not give up caring for the environment
just
because we can't save it all or make a
big enough impact.
Let's just each do our part, even if it's just a
little.
Then we'll be able to help keep nature's magic
around
for ourselves and for other generations to learn from and
enjoy. And we'll keep
getting... the gifts of a sand dollar.
About the Author Resource Box:
Liz
Hekimian-Williams is founder of Giftsprings, a mental
health counselor, loving wife and mom to three active
kids.
She values family life and is supportive of those who
wish
to improve their family and financial
situations.
Copyright © 2002 Liz Hekimian-Williams All rights
reserved.
