Small Stones

This past week my family and I visited the Oregon coast, spending time with our friends who live in the area. It was a beautiful sunny day and a mild 65F with a steady breeze. We specifically visited Cape Kiwanda which has a breathtaking view and sample of Oregon coast geology, including a haystack and a ridge made of sandstone. By the time we got there the tide was starting to go out, and soon there was small ridges in the sand with pools of water that my kids got to play in. The receding tide also revealed a host of small stones and sea shells that had drifted into land. Looking at the vast collection of smooth rocks and pebbles, I thought this was a great time to find a souvenir. After looking for several minutes, I found one stone that struck out to me in particular. It was smooth, but it also had a bit of a porous texture. The color was a shade of black, but in the light it caught colors of gold and brown too. Rolling the stone in my hand I admired the shape: a round top, flat…