Following the old adage that, “If you’ve got it, then flaunt it.” So the rich and famous like to drive about in their expensive cars showing off their riches to us lesser mortals. Film stars and footballers wives all love to parade around in their expensive designer clothes and wearing expensive jewellery, usually Rolex watches and gold and diamond necklaces and bracelets. Some even demean themselves by wearing the humble pearl necklace or brooch – but that is simply not done by the super-rich, its bad form to be seen in cheap jewellery like this.

But have you ever stopped and wondered how these little gems are made?

A pearl is formed through pain and patient determination on the part of the oyster. A tiny grain of sand gets into the oysters shell and acts as a painful irritant. Try as it may the oyster has no means of getting rid of it, so it does what nature always does when it has a problem - it adapts. So slowly and patiently and with infinite care the oyster builds around the
grain of sand a milky white substance that covers each sharp corner and coats every cutting edge until the pain starts to ease. Gradually and slowly over a period of time a beautiful pearl is formed. The humble oyster has learned to turn adversity into something of great beauty and value. So is there anything we can all learn from the determination and patience of this humble sea creature?

The first thing that springs to mind are the people who suffer from a mental or physical illness, who like the oyster have learned to turn their pain and suffering into something positive and of great value in their lives. Surely these people are all “priceless pearls,” living in our communities. Then we have those of us who find that the pain caused by a “little grain of sand” in our lives, can ruin a friendship, a relationship and sometimes even a marriage, all because we fail to offer forgiveness and accept a healing process when offered.

“What are you anxious about that is causing stress? Nothing lasts forever, so when you let go you become open and free to receive something new in your life. When you let go, you lose pain and gain insight.”