Indubitibly pulchritudinous said 9 years, 7 months ago:

Allow me to tell you a favorite oriental legend of mine. ~ Once upon a time there was a boy, a normal child with a dream. He had grown up by the seashore and loved to find pearls. He would find a small one, crooked and jagged. Then he would find a dirty one, imperfect and dull. As much as he loved the pearls he found, he longed to find a perfect pearl. Throughout the years he hunted for the perfect pearl. He went about his life searching and searching, always watching for his pearl. Then one day, nestled in an oyster, he found it, his dream. It’s symmetrical, spherical shape shone gloriously. It’s white layered existence mirrored the very essence of beauty. It was the perfect pearl he’d spent forever looking for. Elated he set off to show his treasure to the world. He had the finest carpenter make a custom made box for the pearl. It would have golden embossing swirled throughout and sparkling gemstones to adorn it creatively. He payed for the best velvet to plush the inside. It would be of drastic black color to better highlight the pearl. When the box was completed he joyously placed his beloved pearl into it and went off to show it to the world. He showed it to peasants and nobility, merchants and soldiers. He watched as eyes lit up to what was before them. For days his heart trilled happily as he shared his possession with the world. But as the weeks and months passed he grew sadder with each new person’s praise. He began to realize that their delighted smiles and curious eyes were not because of his pearl. It was with sorrowful heart he noticed that not one person could get past the beauty of the box. The pearl had hardly ever been noticed.~ These days it is hard to see the pearls. Often times we are content with just the box the pearls come in. When receiving gifts from a loved one do we take the time to understand how much they love us? Or do we just look at the gift and see it as another item in our lives. How often do we understand the deeper meanings of the world around us? When simply walking down the street do we look at only the box, or the drear of having to walk, or do we take the time to look at the beauty around us? When meeting new people do we judge them by how they look and act that first day? Never really getting past first impressions to discover the gem they truly are. For a long time i told people i was like the universe. Lot’s of people knew i was there and a few people could even point out a few constellations (things i like). Often though they would only seldom take the time to glance my way or look to my stars. For not many people had ventured into the depths of my universe, they’d never taken the time to really know me. I was always there, like the sky, but no one cared to look my way. Like the pearl and the box, they were content with just seeing a few stars not knowing their orientation and they never cared to look deeper into the sky to find the pearl. I hope you all learn to take the time to see the whole picture and not just lock your views on one piece. It’s a glorious world out there if you bring yourself to go just that much farther than everyone else. You never know what, or who, you’ll find.