The Belts relocated to Michigan last year and like each state in the United States, Michigan has many unique characteristics and traditions that make it one of a kind.
One of these fascinating characteristics can be found in one location in Northern MI and by way of a special stone. The Petoskey Stone
What is a Petoskey Stone?
Simply, is a fossil of colonial coral. These corals lived in warm shallow seas that covered Michigan during Devonian time, some 350 million years ago. See this great paper provided my the State of Michigan.
For a newcomer like myself, I picked up a polished Petoskey stone and stared at its many intricate lines and what seemed like a 3-dimensional coral world under the polished surface.
For Michiganders, especially people up north like my Wife’s family, the Petoskey Stone holds a special place and meaning for their identity as a person born and raised here. You can only find the stone here in MI and up north in and around the town that bears the same name.
Each Petoskey Stone you pick up will be unique. One of a kind. So, when I found these two, pictured above, in a small shop in Petoskey MI, I was drawn to the way the stone has a blending of light and dark motion. What was happening when this stone was formed? I let my imagination run with a dramatic scene depicting the convergence of light and dark forces and how the world has always been made by this epic clash.
Like these precious stones, the world is full of wonders and unique beings past and present. These creatures that were alive, living in coral communities millions of years ago, are telling their stories that each of us can now hold in the palm of our hands.
It makes me ask: What will your story be? How will it be remembered?
Want to go find a Petoskey Stone of your own?
Here is an article to help you!
Happy hunting!
P.S. The cheat code I used to find mine was visiting this wonderful store with artisans and crafters that also make wonderful clay, wood, and jewelry, sometimes featuring the beautiful Petoskey Stone: Sturgeon River Pottery
Jason A. Belt 