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A Collector Is Born....

From the time I was a little boy playing in the backwoods of Arkansas, I have always had a fondness for finding things. The things I would find back then, I had no idea would shape and affect my life in such a way. I use to spend my days playing in the woods behind relatives houses in a few different areas of North Central Arkansas. I would spend my time imagining Cowboys and Indians fighting or a Civil War battle taking place or Pirates hiding treasure. I would take cover on the banks of an old dried up river bed, just peering over the edge to get a good look at (whoever my imagination made up that day). I remember finding my first item there; it was a HUGE Quartz point! “WOW! This must be treasure!” I said, with all the excitement in the world. I ran as fast as my little legs would carry me, back to the house of my relatives with a grandiose story of Pirates, battles and hidden treasure. This time I have proof, treasure! “LOOK Grandpa LOOK! IT’S TREASURE!” I said. My Grandpa, being the great man he was, just smiled then showed me how to turn it all around, seeing all the different angles and shapes. Then he explained to me how GOD created everything, telling me “it’s our job to see the beauty in everything, even a rock and this is one beautiful rock!” he said. After some more heart to heart Grandpa gently let me know that the rock was not “treasure” but rather a natural occurring mineral. He also let me know I could find more of them along with all sorts of different rocks and other things like arrow heads, fossils, crystals and old bottles down in the old dried up river and creek beds. A collector was born that day….

Troy Q. Nelson