Photo by Almos Bechtold on Unsplash

Pearls are fascinating organic jewels. Shaped under cover of darkness, they are the growth of beauty overcoming hardship. Locked away like hidden secrets, reflecting a contemplation of slow subtle matters, and presented as a revelation of new beginnings to the world. Needing no cutting or hand polishing, pearls are the perfection of natural brilliance in their softly gleaming nacre. A thoughtful meditation on the invisible nature of grace under pressure. I’ve often admired pearls for their subtle beauty. Not only the surface appearance, but also fascination regarding the truth of their creation.

The precious sheen of nacre (Mother of Pearl) gleams brilliantly, yet is born of irritation or injury to the host. Oysters have the marvelous ability to take what irritates them and coat the intrusion with layer upon layer of brilliance, until what was ugly and hurtful is a prize jewel.

Wounds to human beings rarely result in such uniquely beautiful displays. Too often we sustain injury or suffer irritation and follow the path of the oyster, burying it deep within. But in the dark hidden (lesser known) parts of ourselves, it too often festers, wounding us further.

How much better off we would be if we could meditate on our hurts and bring forth beauty from within. This entire process could proceed organically without need for our conscious guidance or approval. Like an interpretation of the Japanese art of kintsugi, a trust in our beautiful imperfections and our scars could be bathed in the reflective sheen of nacre. Without hesitation, and Illuminated with fine layers of translucent color, our previously shrouded hurts could then be unabashedly revealed as sublime beauty for all the world to see.

Photo by David Hofmann on Unsplash

Yet for all the care taken in creation, pearls are a delicate jewel. One sharp knock might mar the perfect sheen, and so too are we newly delicate in our healing. We have all become a little tender, I feel. Forcibly separated, we’ve been buffeted by anger and fear.

Our connections grown tenuous in the dark, we still instinctively reach for the light. The time of longer days and deep shadows is drawing to an end, soon to reveal what has become.

Let us take this season of dark winter to reflect, and bring ourselves forth into a new season of breathtaking beauty.

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