THE GEM

                                                            THE GEM

  Ever since I can remember my family has been poor. Much like my father and his father before him, I am a humble field worker. This life is the only life that I have ever known, yet I know there could be more.  Each day I would awake early and be hard at work long before the sun would rise. I would toil in the field all day until nightfall, before returning to my meager home. I would walk thru our small village every night with my head down and without ever a smile on my exhausted face.

  This was my life for many years and I had accepted my fate. In my country, very few ever break out of this vicious cycle of work and want.  Evidently God had something else in store for me. One day a few years ago while working the field, something shiny caught my eye in the dirt. At first I ignored it, but my curiosity drove me examine it further.

   This was the same spot that hundreds of others had just walked by. Surely if it was anything of great worth, one of the others would have claimed it as their own.  My heart began to quicken as I looked around to see if anyone else was watching.  Surely if this was something of great value, someone else would have scooped it up before me.

  I bent down and picked the object up and quickly put it in my pocket, for fear that someone else would notice. For the rest of the day I toiled in the scorching sun, but this day, I was full of energy and anticipation. That night I brought my new find home and gently brushed the dirt off and rinsed the object in water. Much to my surprise, the more I cleaned it up the brighter it seemed. I sat there by my fireplace and behold there was a gem of unbelievable quality and brilliance.

  My mind began to wander and heart began to soar. I had found a gem of great worth and value. That night I sat up almost all night, dreaming about how my new find could change my entire life. Somehow this gem I had found had transformed me, energized me, and opened up the world for me.

  Over the next few days I told some of my closest friends about my great discovery. They all listened with good intentions and then told me that my gem was probably just a common rock that happened to glitter. They insisted that although it was shiny, my gem was common and not of any value. Some urged me to sell or toss aside my gem and go back to the field to possibly find a larger or more valuable one.  I remained steadfast in my belief that I had made the greatest find of my life.

  I would not be discouraged or dissuaded because I knew I my heart that I had made a life changing discovery.  In fact, almost from that moment forward my luck seemed to change and my life began to improve. I carried the gem everywhere with me. I now walked with my head up and a smile on my face.  Others may not have seen the glow, or perceived the worth, but I recognized it immediately.

  I now faced the world with a new sense of excitement, wonder, and optimism. I quit my job in the field and began a journey across the country. I proudly spoke of my new gem and protected it with my life. My eyes were now open to many new possibilities and everything seemed new and fresh.

  Every aspect of my life seemed to improve as my new happiness and self confidence were evident to all who met me. In reality I did not have any more money or possessions than I had before my great find, but I now carried myself like a wealthy man. My gem had transformed my entire life into something worthwhile and wonderful.

  Over the following months, many tried to convince me that my new sense of hope and happiness was all in my head. That gem you hold so tight has no power to make your life any better; it’s just a common rock.  It seems you can always find a nay- sayer.

  After months of urging by family and well meaning friends I made the long trip to a town by the coast. I sought out a man that was renowned to be an expert in Gems. He welcomed me, as I proudly displayed my prize. I could hardly overcome my sense of pride and joy as I presented him with my treasure.  After a brief look and a test with an unfamiliar instrument he offered his opinion that it was not real and of little value.

  I knew my gem was real and of great value, but after hearing the opposite from the expert, I began to have my doubts.  I noticed that my gem did not seem to shine as brightly. Over the next few days the gleam I once knew seemed to gradually diminish, until finally it had no shine at all.

  My happiness was soon gone and I returned to work in the field. All of my friends were happy to have me back, but I was heartbroken and in despair. If only I had trusted my instincts, and believed with all my heart.

  My experience with the gem was life changing and I learned some important things.

  You don’t have to search far and wide to find happiness, just open your eyes to the gem that might be right in front of you.

   I discovered that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    I also came to realize that if you make a once in a life time discovery, you cannot afford to pass it by or let it go.

   And at the end of the day, whatever form the “Gem” in your life takes..When you obtain something that is of great value to you, cherish it, believe in it, and …don’t let anyone else talk you out of it.

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