You Are A Precious Pearl

Dear Elegant Lady,

Many a time, as ladies, we enjoy wearing beautiful jewelry, and when we do, we look and feel good, right? I adore pearls; they carry a sense of elegance, yet they look so simple. Pearls have the unique ability to transform the simplest attire into an elegant one.

Pearls are said to be one of the most beautiful, natural, and expensive jewels, yet they are formed out of irritations. The bigger the irritation, the bigger the pearl. Beautiful lady, we all have different irritations that may make us feel uncomfortable. Things might not work our way sometimes; you may not always get what you want or when you need it. Over the years, there has been a saying that you cannot have a testimony without a test—it is true in so many ways. Our irritations and tests create beautiful pearls within us.

I am not saying it’s going to be easy. Imagine being married to a man who struggles with communication, putting you off all the time, or having a stubborn friend who is always difficult, or even worse, dealing with that challenging boss every day. These irritations grow who we are. For some, they create patience, kindness, humility, and humanity. Remember how the oyster creates a pearl—it covers the irritation with the same material that forms its shell. I can assume it does not see it happening or how the buildup occurs, but it does not stop until the irritation has been dealt with. That’s why pearl sizes differ. Likewise, we are not meant to stop until our irritations are resolved. It won’t happen overnight, but one day, you will look back and realize how much you have grown, seeing another beautiful character developed within you.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt about pearls and oysters is this: the irritation comes from the outside, but the solution comes from within. Everything you’ve gone through, are going through, and are yet to go through is not by mistake. It’s all part of the perfect plan of God. The Word of God says, "All things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:18). It’s a carefully crafted plan to make you the perfect person for your purpose—to be the perfect businessperson, wife, mother, friend, or employee. Perfect is uniquely defined for each of us. My perfect may never be your perfect because we are uniquely designed. Look at the most successful and influential people around you—they have faced significant setbacks and challenges (irritations) that shaped them into the people we now admire. The bigger the success, the bigger the story.

Beautiful lady, embrace your irritation and learn from it. Don’t compare yourself to anyone, as it may limit you. You have your own individual purpose and plan. Dear lady, keep growing that beautiful pearl within you. The value of a pearl is determined by factors such as size, type, and color. Wild pearls are said to be more valuable than cultured ones. Trust me, you don’t need to be complicated to be worthy. You may think your difficult childhood limited you—no, my dear, it created resilience and strength in you. You may wonder about your mistakes. Let’s be glad you’ve learnt from them; they are in the past. It’s time to take a deep breath, step forward, apply the lessons, and be that precious pearl. The Word of God says, "A good man falls seven times but gets up again." Never stay down. From every failure, disappointment, and hurt, there is a lesson. Be yourself and create your unique type of pearl.

With love,

Lady Fortunate