Pearls are formed when a foreign substance slides into the oyster between the two halves, which is irritating to the oyster. It's kind of like getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. It then covers the irritant with layers and layers of a very strong, resilient substance that is also used to create the shell. Divorce was my splinter. It was irritating, stressful, and annoying. I wanted to cover up the crap that had gotten into my life. I stayed busy doing anything I could in order to keep my mind off things. Love was only a stupid word that people overused, and marriage was not included in my “Things to do before I die” list.
The Christmas of 2009 helped me change my mind set. It had been a year of trying to find happiness in all the wrong places, and I was exhausted from looking. Sitting in the family room with the glow of the Christmas tree illuminating the grins on my family’s faces, my daddy gave me a strand of pearls to wear around my neck. The tears came as I knew at that moment that even though my parents no longer loved each other, love was still around, sneaking up on me in a completely different way than I had been expecting.
While packing up my stuff to move away from home the following summer, I found another necklace my father had given me when I was younger. A gold shaped ‘M’ with diamonds showcased in the middle. I believe it was a thank you gift after helping around the house when my mom was out of town for awhile and dad worked, but I was little and could be wrong. Either way, it showcases a fathers love and appreciation for his daughter.
I have now taken claim to a ring that was given to my mom by my father, back when they were in love. It is my reminder that love is as real as the diamonds that bracket the pearl, the beautiful ball that still shines even though it went through consistent trials, it stands strong and true to its identity.
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