Revealing what’s underneath

So, I’ve gotten into rocks. Really into rocks. Rockhounding is apparently what this growing obsession is called that I have, and I have found it gets me pretty geeked out sometimes.

I remember liking to pick up rocks as a kid and was even known to buy a rock or two with my allowance at this place called The Nature Company. (Not sure who else remembers this store, but we had one in Jackson at Northpark mall, and I loved that place.) Anyway, that was years and years ago and it wasn’t until this spring, in my early 40s, that I realized how much I enjoy finding rocks on my own that I could transform into the pretty and unique things you can’t see at first glance.

Maybe there is something about looking down at a creek full of rocks (or even driveways and parking lots) and knowing that on any given day you could find something, covered in sludge or sticking halfway out of the dirt that is truly beautiful.

So, it seems the older I get the more and more I appreciate things that are natural and find myself wondering how I went so long not really caring that much before now. However, life is busy and chaotic, and most people aren’t going to notice something laying around with a thick outer coating of white or grey looking like any ole rock on a gravel road. Most people have no idea that some of those rocks have amazing beauty… just underneath the rough exterior.

I’m sure you see where this is headed, but it’s true—like rocks we all have a bit of rough outer surface. Even those that are the most outgoing and seemingly happy often have many, many unseen layers. Layers that are often much more beautiful than what you see on the surface.

Layers that can only be revealed after they have been thrown into a chaotic tumbler where they crash into other similar rocks over and over again. Hours on end they are beaten up, knocked around –sometimes even breaking at times. Bits and pieces come off when the blows are just a little too hard—albeit making way for softer edges.

In the multi-step process of rock tumbling, stage one is where the roughest and toughest action happens. It also involves rinsing off sludge, careful individual inspection, followed by a willingness to keep grinding away despite it taking longer than you hoped.

Following the first week(s) of initial tumbling you move on to stages 2 through 4 (or sometimes 5 depending on the level of accomplishment you are aiming for in the end). I found that each of the stages following the first one takes much less time to complete. I also learned the hard way that if I will just be patient and willing to tumble the rough edges out for a longer amount of time then the next stages are much more rewarding.

Another thing I learned is that unlike the often-dramatic changes seen after rough tumbling over long amounts of time, the finer grit gives way to more subtle yet quicker improvements. These latter stages are a little gentler and work to smooth smaller cracks and tiny surface holes. If these stages are skipped or rushed, the rocks will not reach their full potential (revealing what has always been there.)

I wish it were a little less messy of a process. Life and rock tumbling.

I wish the process went faster or that I could skip stages without consequences. I wish all the rocks could polish up at the same time; many have to keep going back to the rough tumbling before they can join the others in the gentler stages.

How eerily similar the process is to become a polished version of ourselves. Life may be rocky at times, but smoother times are coming. It takes patience to round our edges a bit. Remember that in some stages it’s just harder to see the work being done to refine us into the polished versions of who we aim to be.