Photography and text by Frank Grasso
It all started with a heart-shaped stone I found on the beach about 8 or 9 years ago. I took it home and placed it on a shelf in my kitchen. This was the first and only heart-shaped find for a number of years until I got more involved with beachcombing! At first I did not look for heart shapes, but then the hearts seemed to stand out every time I walked the Shore.
My wife Kaye does not share my passion for walking the beach for hours, and eventually, I began feeling guilty about being gone for so long. I explained to Kaye that every time I went out it was to find another heart-shaped treasure for her: a shell, sea glass, or stone. This was not only true but convinced her to let me go to the beach to find more hearts.
We now have about 40 hearts, mostly from Barnegat Light and Holgate on LBI. I can never guarantee success on the search for heart-shaped beach treasures. Both of us will become disappointed if I don’t find one. But persistence will always pay off handsomely.
If there is a special person in your life, perhaps you may want to consider a long walk along our beautiful shore. You may be able to win their heart all over again with a heart-shaped memento from LBI!
