Friday, July 5, 2013

In the Eyes of the Beholder

I rescued an abalone shell from the trash-

shocked that something so beautiful was deemed to be worthless. 

I placed my new-found treasure on display, on my front porch-

and someone stole it.

 

This week’s prompt.  33 words on anything we like.   True story, this one.

Posted by at

55 comments:

  1. Buttons ThoughtsJuly 5, 2013 at 4:52 PM

    Oh I hate when that happens. I guess it was never yours to have. Good job. B

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  2. Valerie BoersmaJuly 5, 2013 at 5:09 PM

    Me too, B! I agree! I guess I was at least glad that the thief appreciated it too:)

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  3. tedstrutzJuly 5, 2013 at 6:09 PM

    Maybe the original owner had second thoughts...

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    1. tedstrutzJuly 5, 2013 at 6:10 PM

      p.s. those blue shoes are so you... don't leave them on the porch...

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    2. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 11:26 AM

      I think so Ted, once they saw how pretty the abalone shell really was! And I'll be sure to bring my shoes inside too. I'd hate to see them end up on someone else's front porch;) Thanks for your comments, by the way-they make my day:)

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  4. AnonymousJuly 5, 2013 at 6:10 PM

    Oh the irony. Love it! (the poem...not the burglary)

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  5. Susan ShumanJuly 6, 2013 at 6:58 AM

    Love this one. You are a gifted writer!

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  6. DraugJuly 6, 2013 at 7:43 AM

    *snort* awwww well at least someone else appreciated the beauty :D

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 11:50 AM

      Draug, My consoling thought, too. That, and the fact that I could get another shell pretty cheap on ebay;)

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  7. UnknownJuly 6, 2013 at 8:46 AM

    Oh I am so sad .. this is a true story? You are so good with words it makes the story even sadder....

    I had a really really cute copper snail sprinkler .. it would spin and little droplets would water the lawn. I had it in the front yard hooked to the hose .. it was on .. we went for a walk .. came back and it was gone. That was a bit of effort to steal that one.. humans can be pathetic souls sometimes...

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 11:52 AM

      Lisa-what happened to you makes me so mad. I'm so sorry that someone did that. Hopefully it's some consolation that we are good and decent people:) And as always, it makes my day to see your comments!

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  8. Tara R.July 6, 2013 at 8:52 AM

    A wonderful 33 words, bittersweet.

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 11:53 AM

      Thanks Tara! I was bummed. I'd had that shell for many years!

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  9. AnonymousJuly 6, 2013 at 11:11 AM

    Haha! Great stuff!

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  10. AnonymousJuly 6, 2013 at 11:25 AM

    Hahah! There should be a special word for when that happens (the French probably have one.) Super Enjoyable post! :D

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 11:55 AM

      Thanks Linda! And I actually thought about finding a French word for the title! The French have a way with words!

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  11. UnknownJuly 6, 2013 at 1:34 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. UnknownJuly 6, 2013 at 1:36 PM

    I was going to say damn until I read lindavernon's comment and I decided on merde.

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 11:56 AM

      I like merde, Bill. I like it a lot! Thanks for your comment!

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  13. AnonymousJuly 6, 2013 at 5:21 PM

    oh, the irony! delightful!

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  14. LaTonya BaldwinJuly 6, 2013 at 5:25 PM

    Like the irony. Enjoyed.

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  15. SuzanneJuly 6, 2013 at 6:42 PM

    Love the title of this piece! Well-written and fun – even though I hate when that sort of thing happens. :)

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 11:58 AM

      Suzanne, I changed the title so many times before the phrase about beauty being in the eyes of the beholder popped into my head. Sometimes I think the title is the hardest part! Thanks for reading this one! :)

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  16. UnknownJuly 6, 2013 at 9:15 PM

    Clearly you were trendsetter in taste, however small that consolation may be. This is lovely--a visit to your blog is always time well-invested. :)

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 11:59 AM

      Kallan, I like your way of thinking! It did look rather cute on my porch;) And thank you for your generously kind comment, too!

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  17. AnonymousJuly 6, 2013 at 9:17 PM

    Cheers to you. Very cool story. Maybe your shell thief was just borrowing it.

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 12:00 PM

      Hey, thanks, Trez! I appreciate that! I wonder if I should offer a small reward? ;)

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  18. PurpleMooseJuly 6, 2013 at 9:43 PM

    putting it on the porch was elevating it to a piece of worth - sadly thieves ALWAYS take what is worthy. :(

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 12:04 PM

      So true, Barbara! I hope the thief will appreciate it:)

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  19. writerwannabe763July 7, 2013 at 1:23 AM

    Ironic.. something rescued... something stolen Diane

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 12:05 PM

      Diane, irony is exactly what I was going for. It's almost funny:) Thank you so much for commenting!

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  20. TrifectaJuly 7, 2013 at 4:18 AM

    Think of it more as sharing the beauty??? :-) Thanks for linking up. I love the depth you managed in such a short space.

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 12:07 PM

      I think you are right! I'm glad someone else saw the value in my abalone shell, even if that someone's values were a little misplaced. Thank you so much for your comment, and for giving us these fab challenges too:)

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  21. AnonymousJuly 7, 2013 at 4:21 AM

    This was great!! 33 words that show exactly what life is like sometimes. I loved it.

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  22. lumdog2012July 7, 2013 at 11:29 AM

    Reminded me of something that happened when I was little. A beautiful poem.

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 12:08 PM

      Thanks lum! It would be an even harder lesson for a kid to have to learn, and I'm sorry you had to learn it. I am so happy you read and commented though! :)

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  23. UnknownJuly 7, 2013 at 11:46 AM

    beauty is in the eyes (and hands) of the beholder! your 33 words reminded me of my vintage 50's yard flamingo's I found at a thrift store. they disappeared the day I put them in the yard :/ for shame!!

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    1. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 12:11 PM

      Oh Shawn! Now that really and truly is tragic!!! There is a special place reserved in hell for yard flamingo thieves!! If it's any consolation, I love yard flamingo's too:) I'm on my second pair, and they are so bleached they almost look like swans:)

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  24. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 11:51 AM

    Jo-Anne-I'm thrilled to have you visit here any time:) Thank you a million times over for your wonderful comment!

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  25. brudbergJuly 7, 2013 at 1:15 PM

    That's a lot of story between the lines if you want to...

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  26. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 2:44 PM

    I could write a lot more than 33 words, Bjorn! I could use up 33 words alone on how shocked I was that someone actually stole my abalone shell;)

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  27. AnonymousJuly 7, 2013 at 3:14 PM

    It was worthy of being stolen.. every component of nature is precious in my eyes, even a single grain of soil.
    I read irony in your words.. what was seen as worthless comes out to be worthy of being stolen.

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  28. Valerie BoersmaJuly 7, 2013 at 3:27 PM

    I agree completely with what you said so beautifully!! There is no such thing as insignificant in nature. Every precious part of it is worthy of being deemed valuable:) Thank you so much for your very thoughtful comment:)

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  29. DebraJuly 7, 2013 at 6:18 PM

    Another who recognized the true beauty. Some get obsessed with having without concern for the void it might leave for another.

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  30. AnonymousJuly 7, 2013 at 9:27 PM

    I guess someone else found beauty in the same thing you did. Too bad they had taken it from your porch instead of finding it in the trash. Wonderful use of 33 words.

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  31. kymmJuly 8, 2013 at 6:32 AM

    Hahahahaha
    People are such assholes.
    But there is beauty in the world. Redemption!
    People are such assholes.
    lol
    I love this, Valerie. I'm sorry if it was painful but it is so funny. (I'm a big fan of irony.)

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  32. Girl with a New LifeJuly 8, 2013 at 2:09 PM

    Ack. I love it.

    Not so worthless after all.

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  33. UnknownAugust 4, 2013 at 8:37 AM

    Hopefully it was off to be loved by someone else? Oh, the irony...

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    1. CameronAugust 4, 2013 at 8:38 AM

      That was me, for the record. Silly Google account.

      Delete

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