Recently, I read a story about finding a mystery box on the beach that contained your deepest desires. The question is: would you open it or throw it back into the sea? Here's my continuation of that story.

She watched the shell sail and plop down into the sea before glancing down at the box once more. The box sparked something in Elly but she didn't know what.

Curiosity, fear?

Her peace had been upended, yet she wanted to sit in this new feeling for a little bit longer. She had a good idea of what she might find in that box but what form it would take she did not know. And the question remained, should she open it?

No good would come from a rash decision. But with the sun setting, she knew she couldn't stay forever. Regardless, she found herself amongst the sand, waiting…

And she sat on that beach, for how long she did not know, contemplating…

Maybe she'd keep this box. Or maybe she'd throw it back and it'd come back to her some other day. Or maybe some other completely different box would come her way. Would her desires even stay the same? The possibilities were endless.

And yet that also excited her, the beauty in the wonder. No matter what she knew, the choice was hers. She knew she wouldn't ever stop wishing for her box. It gave her something to look forward to. But deep down she realized she wasn't quite ready to open it.

She didn't want to forget the peace of the present. She had felt herself thrash through the chaotic waves much like this box had to reach her. Maybe they both needed to sit in the calm once more before discovering the extreme joy and pain that the unwrapping would foretell.

She knew that she wouldn't miss what was meant for her. It didn't matter if it was this box or some distant box in the future. It'd find a way of finding her at the right time. Even so, she felt grateful for this box's presence even if it scared her. She wasn't willing to let it go, nor would she open it yet. But she needed the gentle weight as a constant reminder that the obtainment of her desires existed, and it was up to her to open it on her own accord.

A/N: Back to publishing a story after what looks like about 12 years. It's ironic how I grapple with many of the same questions I did back then. Goes to show that even with wisdom and years of growth, there are certain questions that can plague us for ages. This time my lesson seems to be to just sit in those feelings and questions. They don't need to be answered right away. In fact, if you have these thoughts, it's because you care. It shows that you want to experience life and not live in the mundane. It means embracing the unknown and letting yourself feel everything from fear, curiosity, joy, and pain. I needed to write this to remind myself to do what feels right for me and to let go of the outcome. I hope this message helps someone else who needs to hear it too.