Said one oyster to a neighbouring oyster, "I have a very great pain within me. It is heavy and round and I am in distress."
And the other oyster replied with haughty complacence, "Praise be to the heavens and to the sea, I have no pain within me. I am well and whole both within and without."
At that moment a crab was passing by and heard the two oysters, and he said to the one who was well and whole both within and without, "Yes, you are well and whole; but the pain that your neighbour bears is a pearl of exceeding beauty."
~ Kahlil Gibran ~
Do you know, a pearl is not a part of an oyster's body by birth. It is a kind of growth that forms inside its body because of an oyster’s reaction to an external irritant like a parasite or sand particle, which may enter through the gap between the pair of shells.
Such an unknown and unexpected invasion of the oyster, causes extreme irritation to the oyster. An irritation that you may consider akin to the irritation we feel when some dust particle enters our eyes. Just as we start batting our eyelids profusely or start rubbing our eyes in an attempt to wash away the dust with tears; the oyster reacts to this invasion by secreting layer upon layer of a substance called nacre (a crystalline substance that gives pearls their luster) upon that external intrusion to shield itself from it.
Day in and day out, year in and year out, the irritation progresses, and the oyster continues to secrete layers of nacre, which finally gives birth to a beautiful pearl.
This is life. It is an ocean of experiences wrapped in time. We are here to absorb every experience and cull out what best we can. The experience cannot possibly be devoid of purpose. You have to have faith in the process of life. You are being honed by the universe for something bigger and better.
An American pastor and author Joel Osteen once said, “when God puts a dream in your heart, you know you are going to succeed. Every “no” means you are one step closer to “yes”.”
I know it is easier said than done. It takes courage and grit to stand tall in the face of a storm with belief that you shall overcome it all. But we all have it within us. We really do.
I will give you a couple of tools to wade you through. Hope they help.
Tool 1
1. Ask yourself, what was your biggest problem, 3 problems ago?
Do you even remember your biggest problem”, 3 problems ago ?
The thought of this question, put a quizzical smile on my face. When I read this in a book, it suddenly dawned on me that its so true. Nothing is permanent. It is all transient.
Did that “biggest problem”, 3 problems ago not teach you something. Didn’t it add to your dairy of knowledge and expanse of experiences. Isn’t there something in it that makes your soul richer and more evolved.
Tool 2
2. 5 by 5 rule
If it wont matter 5 years later, don’t spend more than 5 minutes brooding over it.
Remember, that your thoughts create you and all that manifests around you. Your thoughts are your biggest armour in life. Immerse your thoughts in the energy of love, positivity and a conviction to turn the tide in your favour.
Your thoughts create your reality. Reign those in and nurture them.
Watch your thoughts; they become words
Watch your words; they become actions
Watch your actions; they become habit
Watch your habits; they become character
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny
~ Lao Tzu ~