I had a memory/dream the other day about the first time I encountered pyrite out on the trail. There was an area loaded with it all over the ground and I thought we had struck gold. “We’re rich! We’re rich!” I exclaimed.
My parents gave a chuckle and said that’s not how you find gold, so this was likely fake.
After some research, we found out about Pyrite. Pyrite is also known on the trail as “fool’s gold”. It’s a natural occurring substance in rocks, however it has no value as an iron. We were visiting a shop in Apache Junction and my parents bought this little exhibit for me. Yes, I still have it to this day, I still love rocks and what you can learn from them.
The goal of the dream I had is this: so many people are out in the world pursuing the “golden calf”, what they don’t realize is what they see others have and try to get themselves is actually a “Pyrite Calf”.
So many spend time (me included) looking beautifully decorated homes with every luxury under the sun, or pursuing that special sports car, etc. Some goals are good and worthwhile, however if your pursuits include bragging rights, you will find yourself collecting pyrite, not true gold. Gold if found in relationships and memories, not objects.
