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 Gracegrowers
by Muffet Dolar Villegas
e-mail: Blue_bell57@yahoo.com
Two prisoners looked out of the window. One saw the bars and
the other saw the stars. I love pearls. They come in different
array of colors like white, pink, blue or the rare ones which
are the black pearls. They are magical and feminine, and the
only gems which come from a living organism which is an oyster.
But these lovely gems started as “irritants”. These irritants
are mostly sand that gets inside the oyster shells. To
protect itself, the oyster tries to cover these foreign bodies
with layers of pearly substance known as “nacre” which gives
the pearl a unique appearance and iridescent glow. As time
goes by, these so called irritants
become pearls.
In life , we meet people or trials
that may irritate us, yet somehow they
produce life enduring values like patience,
love, long-suffering humility or
faith.
I borrowed the term
“gracegrowers” from someone
who also borrowed this term from
another. Gracegrowers refer to
people or circumstances that are
hard to understand or love yet
they mold us positively or negatively
depending on what we are
made of.
I’m sure you have met this person
sometime, somehow, or you may
have encountered trials or problems
beyond compare. Whether we like it
or not they are part of our daily existence.
They may be fleeting
occurences or someone you have to
live with for the rest of your lives.
Have you breathed these
words,” This person brings out
the worst in me.” or “ I wish this
ordeal ends.”
Sometimes, these irritants are
vital in our growth. God seems to allow
them in or lives for some purpose.
We only learn to be more patient
with people who stretch our patience.
We learn to love unconditionally
to those who are hard to love.
Trials produce fortitude, courage,
endurance and faith. Gracegrowers
may produce pearls someday.
They say that success is not
the real test of character, but give
a man failure and you will know
who he is.
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