The beach of Budva, Montenegro on the Adriatic Sea, left me breathless.

Not a coral beach with shells and crabs like I am used to, but a beach composed of and covered in rocks.

Rocks of such diversity and color. Black, brown, green, white, terra cotta, grey, lavender, and cream rocks.

Lined, speckled, sparkly, rough, smooth, round, square, and odd shaped rocks, in all stages of the refining process.

Catching the light rays among the rocks were also man-made objects of discarded glass and old tile. Even these were were made beautiful and smooth by the tumbling of the waves.

I was drawn mostly to the smooth rocks. So smooth and soft they almost felt like cloth or velvet, certainly not like sharp stone. On these particular rocks, there were not one rough element. And to think that they were created by many months (years?) of tumbling in the waves and crashing against each other.

Every day, I spent some time with the rocks. They began to form, for me, a picture of the community of believers.

I asked God, “Give me eyes to always see the beauty of diversity, the perspective of another, the reason for their actions and opinions.

Help me to be a smooth rock. Not to shy away from saying hard things but to do it in a kind and non-abrasive manner.

I want to be a smooth rock, not because I want to just be liked by everyone, but because there is no need to be ugly and prickly. Please let the waves of life and the tumbling of pain and suffering rub off my rough edges and make me smooth. Enjoy the beauty of the diverse rocks. Seek to be a smooth one. Together, create a beautiful beach—a community—of exquisite souls.