Sifting For Gold

People considered Michael Evans successful. As a Junior Partner at the prestigious law firm of Donald & Donald, his income put him in the top tax bracket. But, Mike felt he was treading water, and sinking lower.

The firm handled corporate law. He was good at it. But it had become just so much blah, blah, blah.

Flying back from a client meeting in LA, he was flipping through the usual airline magazine. A picture of mountains, and a headline, caught his attention.

"Modern Day Gold Hunters," panning in the mountain streams of Colorado during their vacations.

Hmmm.... Several days away from things, playing at something like a kid. Sounded like just what he needed.

A month later, he flew into Denver. The tour company provided all the gear he would need; camping equipment, trail maps, and most importantly, a sifting pan.

Hiking under thick canopies of leaves, brought peace to Mike. The maps identified streams where others had luck. Mike followed the instructions on how to scoop water, sand and gravel into the sifting pan. A steady sloshing motion would remove lighter material from the mix, hopefully leaving behind some flakes. If he was really lucky, a nugget or two.

No luck for Mike, but still, he was having a great time. An amazing night sky. No city lights to wash out the view. Clear mountain air to let the stars put on their show. Peace and quiet; only an occasional bird or wind through the trees.

Gradually, an idea came to Mike. If he could describe the mountain experience in words, it would the perfect setting for an adventure story.

It turned out that he could. His first novel, "Sifting For Gold," was a best seller. He'd found the treasure he was looking for after all.