Why the Pearls?

I have this tremendous fascination with all that glitters. I was a jeweler for ten years when a stroke changed the direction in my life. I am especially drawn towards pearls. As my journey continued with lupus and I let go of my old life, I learned a way to welcome my new life with lupus. As I left the jewelry industry and the world of glitter, gemstones, gold and pearls, I embraced all those with lupus. They became my new gems. Some were rubies, emeralds, or diamonds, but most of the time I thought of them as pearls.

Each person with lupus that I met was different.  They were one of God’s creations. The shells for the most part the same, but the insides were pearls. In them, I saw a lustrous beauty that was a work of art that had layers of a type of nacre. Unique and complicated: yet still beautiful.

The definition of a pearl can differ but here are my thoughts. A pearl is a living gem, and each pearl is a miracle of nature. A pearl is the accumulation of a slightly translucent material, called "nacre" (better known as "mother of pearl"), similar to the lining found on the inside of nacreous chells. This is what gives a pearls its unique lustre and iridescence. It takes thousands of very thin layers of this nacre to make a single pearl. It is the composition, structure, thinness and evenness of these microscopically thin pearly layers that distinguishes a high quality pearl worth thousands of dollars from another worth a great deal less. It is a remarkable feat of nature that a living oyster produces such an exquisite work of art.

Thus here is my story of my strand of pearls. For the sake of this blog it will be called Suzy’s precious pearls.

In my blog I will introduce the many pearls I wear around my neck. There will be many. This year I celebrated my 60th birthday. For a gift I received a 60 inch strand of lustrous pearls. I wear them proud. It is a privilege to wear them. Each pearl is named after someone that has impacted my life with lupus. I am excited to share each pearls story one at a time with all of you.

I pray that someday I will have a strand of pearls that is endless. I pray that I will be able to continue my lupus journey and share even more pearls with you.

Each pearl has shared a special place in my life. Often times a lesson came with each.  Some other times empowerment.

To all my fellow lupians.... stay tuned you are most likely on my strand of pearls that I wear around my neck.