I went mining this morning for a few hours at Herkimer KOA mines, all alone, while the kids went swimming instead. I’ve been waiting all year to get back to this place that calls me, that I crave. I enjoyed over an hour of being the only one in the mine, hearing the birds singing around me as the water dripped down the face of the dolomite wall. I explored the rubble, looking for the “vuggy” chunks that I could swing a hammer at and hopefully unearth the perfect little water clears. I examined the wall more closely, and found a chunk about the size of my head that looked like I could pry it out. I had a chisel with me, and went for it. My first time working on the wall, it’s usually too crowded for my taste. I didn’t swing too hard, trying to be mindful of my not-so-stable joints, and to my surprise I began to have success with getting the chisel in further. I felt like a pro, I could hear the sound of metal on metal changing as it went further into the stone. Just then my hammer broke. I went back to the rental office to swap it out, and convinced that I’d found a pocket, I proceeded to rent two more chisels and a wagon. As I marched quickly back to where I’d left off, dragging that loud thing behind me, I envisioned all the diamonds and druzy I’d find. With the additional chisels strategically placed around “my chunk”, I finally loosened the piece and was able to slip it out. Nothing but more of the sheer wall of dolomite. Not even a single hole. I actually wasn’t that disappointed as I gently lowered the chunk to the ground. The last few times I’d been here, I had watched as the miners worked in their claims, approaching a section of the wall just as I had, with hope and a strategy. I’m also well aware that it requires a lot of hard work and patience to score a beautiful gem, there’s so much more that goes on behind the scenes than what I get to see on social media. I was simply thankful for the experience. As more people began to trickle into the spaces around me, I checked the time and found that it was already time for lunch. The morning had flown by as I smashed rocks, dripped sweat, and smelled the dolomite dust. And I hadn’t found a single crystal. Not even one. But I was still so happy to be there, and I knew I’d be coming back later this afternoon to try again. As I packed up and started walking back to the entry, I found it slightly odd that I wasn’t bummed. Shouldn’t I be sad as my efforts showed no results? I guess that depends on your definition of “results”. I had spent my morning in peaceful solitude, connecting with nature in a way that suited me. I was surrounded by Queen Anne’s Lace (my mom’s favorite) at every turn, and I had time and space for personal reflection. I’d say that’s some pretty great “results”. I look forward to heading back this evening.
Patience Without Promise
