Did you know when you loose a key, you can probably figure out about a million different things you can learn from that one small act? It’s stunning how many times something keyed in on KS and me as we combed the beach for that little metal object. I mean, it’s crazy to find lessons each time we walked or talked.

First off, let me explain a little bit about me… I don’t loose things. Like almost never. Especially when it’s something like keys, sunglasses or my phone. These things are on my person nearly at all times. And, should something crazy happen, like I can’t find something, I can step through what I’ve done and find the missing. Usually in 20 minutes.

So, to not have this key was a bit stressful. As I talk to KS about this, she reminded me that things are different for me right now. The death of a parent is unlike any grief I have had to walk through before, and it will take some time to figure it all out. This key I needed was to go easy on myself.

We walked and we talked. In that discussion we concluded sometimes the key you seek is not the key you really need. Even when you think it’s exactly what you need, it’s not, and you won’t understand until later why.

Often, as we walked, I would find trash. Lots of trash. (I was kind of surprised and appalled at the amount of trash I found.) Bottles. Bottle caps (both plastic and metal). Broken toys. Lost toys. Wrappers of all kinds… who knew there were so many green wrappers and caps? When you are seriously searching for something, whatever you are searching for from guys to keys, you have to keep working through the trash to get to the right one.

Once, as we walked I found I pen on the beach. As I picked it up I almost heard the thought run through my head, “The key is to write”. Wow… Write what? Doesn’t really matter. Just write. Let the words, like the tears, flow and you might be amazed at what you find.

We walked and talked for four days. And as the last day drew closer, my stress level grew. I just knew it was going to be expensive to not have that key to turn in. However, when the time to check out came and there was no key, I sucked it up, and told the lady in charge I would only be turning one key in. Know what? It was no where near the cost I thought it was. Because sometimes, we make things out to be worse than they are.

We drove away from the condo feeling like, while I didn’t get everything back as I had wanted, it was all taken care of. Not ideal, but something I could live with. KS and I had just a couple things to finish, and then we grabbed lunch before we left. As we sat, enjoying the cloudy but warm day, my phone rang. It was not a number I had saved, and yet, it looked familiar, so I answered it. Indeed, someone further up the beach found that key. It was turned in, and I owed nothing. Sometimes the only key you need is trust.