Hello all!
I've been doing my usual thing- working, house chores, shopping and of course treasure hunting! I use my metal detector on the beach across the street as a hobby. I find mostly trash- pop tops from soda cans and other such kinds of trash. Sometimes I find nails and screws and other more dangerous items. I have small pouch type belt, like a flat fanny pack. It has two zippered compartments. In the bigger compartment I put the trash I find; the smaller one is for the coins I find. I always collect the trash and throw it away properly. It is good karma- good things come from good things. If I collect the trash I will be rewarded with a coin. I must be right in some way because I have found coins every single time I have gone treasure hunting! Since I started in late October I have found over 100 dirham and lots of other various coins. Besides, the beach is literally my front yard! I want to do what I can to keep it clean. Also, there are so many children enjoying the beach; it would break my heart to see one of them cut their foot or be hurt on a pull tab because I was too lazy to bend down and put in my pouch.
So this morning I was doing my thing; slowly walking the beach listening for beeps collecting the trash and I had one coin for my efforts. Mom, dad and a girl about 8 years old set up nearby. I could hear them speaking Russian. The girl was watching me and I smiled at her. She moved closer and she could hear the beeps and see me digging. She came closer to watch what I was doing. Mom & dad gave me a concerned look but I smiled at them and motioned that she was ok to be with me. I stayed near their beach camp so they could keep an eye on their daughter and not worry. In a short time they saw she was safe and would only glance over at us occasionally. I don't speak Russian and she didn't speak english but she was a smart, smart child! She quickly caught on that a beep meant something was there and would dig furiously at every sound. I was able to show her to move the sand more slowly and wait for me to tell her where to dig. She not only gave me every pull tab she found- she gave me EVERY piece of trash she came across! My pouch quickly filled with all kinds of junk! She was also facinated with the tiniest shells- and I mean very, very tiny shells. She could find the most beautiful shells that would be unseen by anyone else. After awhile she dug up her first coin. The look on her face was priceless. I knew in that moment that I had found a real treasure. I gave her a thumbs up and clapped for her and laughed out loud. She was so excited! She held it out for me to take but I folded the coin in her hand and pointed at her. She understood it was hers to keep. Her smile was all the reward I could ask for. I told her to go show her mama & papa and motioned toward them. She ran to them and proudly showed them her treasure. They looked at me and I smiled at them to let them know it was ok. We hunted together for about an hour and she had found 6 more coins. Each time she ran to her parents and proudly presented her coin. When it was time for me to leave she waived and smiled and gave me a thumbs up and clapped. We created our own way of communicating that required no spoken words.
I really enjoy treasure hunting and finding coins and doing my part to keep the beach tidy but what I learned today from that beautiful little girl is that true treasure is found in a smile, a kind gesture and sharing the adventure. Live in the moment, enjoy the sun on your face. You don't even have to speak the same language; you just have to listen and speak with your heart.
Another great day in Dubai!
M&J
I've been doing my usual thing- working, house chores, shopping and of course treasure hunting! I use my metal detector on the beach across the street as a hobby. I find mostly trash- pop tops from soda cans and other such kinds of trash. Sometimes I find nails and screws and other more dangerous items. I have small pouch type belt, like a flat fanny pack. It has two zippered compartments. In the bigger compartment I put the trash I find; the smaller one is for the coins I find. I always collect the trash and throw it away properly. It is good karma- good things come from good things. If I collect the trash I will be rewarded with a coin. I must be right in some way because I have found coins every single time I have gone treasure hunting! Since I started in late October I have found over 100 dirham and lots of other various coins. Besides, the beach is literally my front yard! I want to do what I can to keep it clean. Also, there are so many children enjoying the beach; it would break my heart to see one of them cut their foot or be hurt on a pull tab because I was too lazy to bend down and put in my pouch.
So this morning I was doing my thing; slowly walking the beach listening for beeps collecting the trash and I had one coin for my efforts. Mom, dad and a girl about 8 years old set up nearby. I could hear them speaking Russian. The girl was watching me and I smiled at her. She moved closer and she could hear the beeps and see me digging. She came closer to watch what I was doing. Mom & dad gave me a concerned look but I smiled at them and motioned that she was ok to be with me. I stayed near their beach camp so they could keep an eye on their daughter and not worry. In a short time they saw she was safe and would only glance over at us occasionally. I don't speak Russian and she didn't speak english but she was a smart, smart child! She quickly caught on that a beep meant something was there and would dig furiously at every sound. I was able to show her to move the sand more slowly and wait for me to tell her where to dig. She not only gave me every pull tab she found- she gave me EVERY piece of trash she came across! My pouch quickly filled with all kinds of junk! She was also facinated with the tiniest shells- and I mean very, very tiny shells. She could find the most beautiful shells that would be unseen by anyone else. After awhile she dug up her first coin. The look on her face was priceless. I knew in that moment that I had found a real treasure. I gave her a thumbs up and clapped for her and laughed out loud. She was so excited! She held it out for me to take but I folded the coin in her hand and pointed at her. She understood it was hers to keep. Her smile was all the reward I could ask for. I told her to go show her mama & papa and motioned toward them. She ran to them and proudly showed them her treasure. They looked at me and I smiled at them to let them know it was ok. We hunted together for about an hour and she had found 6 more coins. Each time she ran to her parents and proudly presented her coin. When it was time for me to leave she waived and smiled and gave me a thumbs up and clapped. We created our own way of communicating that required no spoken words.
I really enjoy treasure hunting and finding coins and doing my part to keep the beach tidy but what I learned today from that beautiful little girl is that true treasure is found in a smile, a kind gesture and sharing the adventure. Live in the moment, enjoy the sun on your face. You don't even have to speak the same language; you just have to listen and speak with your heart.
Another great day in Dubai!
M&J
