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S. A. J. Lyttek, a multiple award-winning writer, always loved writing, but didn’t arrive at the profession in the typical manner. After college and graduate school, she plunged into government consulting. In this environment, she discovered a knack for writing tests, interviews and other measurements. That soon became the focus of her career—reigniting her love for the written word. Thus captivated, she spent evenings freelancing “fun” writing including short stories, poems, articles and cards. When her eldest was a toddler, she quit full-time work to stay home and write. Eager to spend more time with her children, homeschooling intrigued her. From preschool through high school, she homeschooled both sons while continuing to freelance. An integral part of the homeschooling community, she has developed and taught writing classes to a generation of homeschoolers. Married to her childhood sweetheart, Gary, Mrs. Lyttek loves to share her commitment to homeschoolers and her fascination with the written word.
I donned the gear he gave me and followed the ancient owner into the mine. We turned a corner and the world went from black rock and ordinary cave to glittering and stunning. The world shimmered about me in the glow of my headlamp. I had never seen anything so beautiful.
“Take whatever you can carry,” said the old miner who owned the claim.
“Really?” I couldn’t believe he could be so generous.
“Really. As near as I can tell, this mine’s treasures will last for generations.”
Why would this gentleman give me anything? “But why are you giving me that offer? That’s something I could understand if you were part of my family.”
He patted my shoulder. “Anyone who treats me with respect and follows my rules is family.”
I smiled at him and picked up a gorgeous stone. It was blue and purple and glowed in the soft light. “What’s this?”
He shrugged. “Just a stone. A rock. It’s pretty, yes, but has no value beyond that.”
I kept it anyway. It was very pretty.
My feel scooted through the sandy surface sending up golden clouds.
“Now that,” he said, “that is the real treasure.” He pointed the golden sand I walked upon.
“Really?”
“Yes, my sweet. That is gold dust. That is the real treasure of this mine.”
“And I’m walking on it?”
He smirked. “It’s everywhere. It’d be awfully hard not to walk on it. But you can pick it up, too.”
I tried to gather some of the dust. Holding onto my pretty stone, it slid through my fingers.
The miner looked at my hands. “Yes, that’s part of the catch. It is hard to hold the dust when you grab the stones.”
I set down the stone reluctantly. I really liked it. But I knew the dust was much more valuable. I scooped up a handful. But my eyes kept going to the glowing rock.
“Here,” said the miner, “I will put the rock on top for you. You can choose two other rocks if you want. But there are other people in the mine, you know. If they want one of your rocks, you have to let them take it.”
I panicked. I wanted to keep the ones I chose! “But my rocks!”
He pointed to my hands. “The rocks are worthless, remember? It’s only the gold that has value. But you have to hold it gently to keep it. If you grab onto the rocks, you will lose the gold.”
“I will, won’t I?”
I could see the truth in what he said. It was his generosity that would make me wealthy if I held the gold, but sacrificed the stones.
Still, the rocks were so pretty, so attractive, it was hard to just let them go.