Black Pearl

Black Pearl

I have always loved pearls. I was gifted my first set of pearls when I was 29. Although, turning 29 wasn't the reason for the gift. I had just given birth to Caitlin (now 18-unbelieveable!) and Roland gave me a stunning set consisting of a pearl necklace and a ring. Next came my admission as an attorney. After a rigorous year serving articles, attending night school, trying to mother a 1-year-old, writing 4 board exam papers, needing to do 1 paper over in an oral exam and finally lodging the stack of papers that would go before the judge in High Court, I was admitted as an attorney and once again, I was gifted pearls. The next set came when I turned 40. This time-black pearls! I treasure them more than my diamonds. I have lost only 1 piece of jewellery to a set of sticky fingers who I caught out when I checked her profile picture on WhatsApp and found her posing-with my pink Mabé pearl ring on her finger. The absolute cheek of it!

My interest in pearls grew even more after hearing a sermon being preached a couple of years ago. One of the points mentioned was that a pearl forms from an irritation. As simple as that? Not really.

The natural or simulated process of producing a pearl can range from 6 months to several years. Even before this process can start, the mollusc must reach a certain age of maturity before it is capable of producing a pearl. Did you know that most molluscs are capable of producing up to 3 pearls during its lifetime? There’s a Chappies bubble gum wrapper moment right there. You mature molluscs will know what I’m talking about, wink wink.

In the natural or organic process, an irritation (possibly a grain of sand) causes the mollusc to produce nacre, and this initiates the pearl making process. For cultivated pearls, an irritation is introduced by a human, either by surgically cutting to cause the irritation or by the introduction of a foreign particle to stimulate the production of nacre. The thickness of a pearl is an indication of how long it took to produce the pearl. The greater the nacre thickness, the greater the value. Pearls can range in pricing from $100 to several thousand, depending on whether they are organic or cultured pearls. Organic pearls are often heavier, denser, and more lustrous.

Of all the pearls out there, the black pearl is considered one of the most valuable. Black pearls were, in the past, outrageously expensive because of their extreme rarity. It was estimated that one in ten-thousand oysters produced a pearl that is black, and of these, a small percentage were of adequate lustre, shape, and size to be considered fit for sale. Black pearls, unlike the name suggests, are seldom actually black in colour. They range from nearly black to white, and many are silver, but the rarest and most valuable are a deep purplish green.

Having joined a local church these last few years, I have come to distinguish between a bible-based, gospel-centred sermon and a motivational talk with a few choice scriptures dispersed in between. Whether that sermon I heard years ago was actually a sermon or not, I won’t delve into those biblical politics. What I do know is the analogy that was used has stuck with me for over 10 years and I apply it often. Look, it’s either apply this principle or someone is going to get hurt. I choose this pearl application.

The analogy is simple. You are living life. Any and all irritations introduced into your environment gives you the opportunity to produce layers of nacre (character), with the end result being that you produce something valuable, beautiful, unique and dare I say Christ-like. Maybe your irritation will need you to produce a layer of perseverance, or a layer of patience. Perhaps it allows you to produce a layer of empathy, love, or consideration. A layer of sympathy is always nice. So is a layer of understanding, generosity, and humility.

Sometimes that irritation might come from a loved one. The one who doesn’t close the toothpaste or the one who chews too loudly. It’s the rude driver who cuts you off. It’s the teller who greets you with a yawn. Maybe it’s that work colleague who just does not know when to be quiet. Or the one who angry types. It’s the know-it-all or the negative Nancy who can never anticipate any good. It could be that person who can see the que but cuts into it anyway because manners are as extinct as a T-Rex. It’s that nosy neighbour who continually asks where’s your husband even though you know she saw him leave with his bags. It’s the meddlesome in-laws who want to parent your offspring the way they never parented their own child and it’s the giggling geisha who insists on flirting with your guy.

It’s Eskom, the traffic department, the SAPS…… or in my case the Department of Home Affairs!

I can tell you I’m working on a very thick layer of tolerance because I haven’t had just one grain of sand. No! Me, being me, I have had several grains of sand at once and if we had to compare notes, I’m pretty certain we would have many in common.

I take it one step further. I make grand announcements to my friends when I relate to them that someone irritated me. I say they had better watch out. I have every intention of becoming a black pearl. In reality, a black pearl can be black, blue, grey with overtones of red, purple, green and brown. There are variations in this which lead to an impressive pallet of the possible colours a pearl could be all while under the collective label of ‘black’. You’re going to recognise it because it exhibits the characteristic iridescent sheen of any other colour pearl but it is more sought after and more valuable. Making this announcement holds me accountable. Yes, I’m determined to produce pearls in all those different colours by letting the irritations work for me instead of against me.

There are 2 kinds of people in this world. You are that irritation or you are the one who uses it as a propellant for growth, the person who graciously allows the irritation to produce something worthwhile. Both serve a purpose. Personally, I don’t think I want to wear the title of Irritant.

That feeling of irritation is usually an indication something needs to change. More often than not, that something is actually someone. Me. Responding differently.Taking a breath. Being Authentic. Speaking truth with love. Walking away. Being less aggressive. Communicating better. Doing things differently than how it has always been done. Let’s be honest. The world desperately needs more black pearls.