Miniscule Marvels

I enjoy collecting shells. They inhabit jars and vases around my house to remind me of beaches visited. The sizes vary from 10-12 " pen shells from Sanibel Island,Florida to my most prized ones,the size of a grain of sand . These latter ones came from a beach down the road from a childhood home,during a time when shells abounded and the bay was healthy. They are actually enclosed in a string of conch egg sacks (which look like stacked flat rawhide lima beans joined by a twisted cord) ,which rattles when dried. Curious about the contents, I carefully opened a sack and put one of the sand-sized bits under strong magnification . The results were staggering !
There,in the harsh bright light,was an absolutely perfect shell...all pearly and spectacular ! This tiny jewel makes mock of those poor souls who think we came from slime and all is accidental.
T'aint so !! There is planning and conscious design here and one cannot look at the shell without surprise and wonder...and the resultant humility. Had the babies survived,that shell would have continued to grow in a spiral fashion to become a mature adult...making more babies and perpetuating the directive . Great plan !