Treasure chest

I remember collecting treasures as a kid. Anything from rocks and leaves to broken Mardi Gras beads were included in my "collection." I would keep them in a simple drawer, my own personal treasure chest.

On the lookout for oddities, I was an explorer in this world, even if I was confined to my own backyard.

I have a specific memory of finding such an item (though what specifically I cannot recall) while riding my Big Wheel out in front of our home in Northport. I remember interrupting my parents' conversation they were having with neighbors to exclaim that I had a new addition to my collection. I'm pretty sure it was a leaf. It was probably a bright color or weird shape.

It makes me sad that nowadays I walk by, or even kick away, such items of wonderment. I used to view these simple things as true treasures. But I was not a pirate when I collected them. I was more of a scavenger, picking them up to observe and respect, not just to add to my riches.

I miss looking at things simply to wonder at them. There are some opportunities now that I take advantage of, but wonder takes time, something adults claim to have very little of. But I think more should make the time. There's hardly a feeling more pure than awe. As a child learning about the world we felt it constantly. Now it's harder to find things that invoke it, or so we think.

Truly everything in this world is amazing enough to be wondered at. The smell of the ocean, the sound grass makes as a breeze ripples through it, the glow of a sunset. Even manmade parts of the world deserve such attention, but we are in the habit of taking advantage of them. But something as simple as the gears in a clock working together to tell us vital information should not go unnoticed. It reminds us that we really do have time to appreciate all the treasures life on this Earth have to offer.