Something Precious (Published in Muse India (your space) in March 2010)

I wanted to find something precious

And so started my journey to find it

But as they say

It is difficult to find something

Until and unless one knows what it is

And so was the case with me.

As I walked ahead

I saw some things on the way

But they didn’t seem worth pursuing

Then someone guided me

To go inside the ocean

And find a pearl

That, I was told is really precious

And worth all the effort!

It sounded interesting

And so I started my journey

To find the pearl

I didn’t know how it looked

Just that it would be locked inside another being

As I searched the insides of the ocean

I saw a variety of creatures

I continued my search and finally

I found the creature in which lay my goal

The creature was an oyster

And it was so very difficult

To pry it open

And get the pearl

I tried hard to open the oyster

I pushed and pulled

Punched and hammered for days

But it didn’t budge an inch

I didn’t know what to do

I didn’t want to give up

When I was so close to my destination already

I tried again

But still didn’t succeed

I began having second thoughts

Whether “the pearl” was really worth it

Or was it just over hyped?

I decided to give it one last shot

And tried to open the oyster gently

Rather than using force

And lo and behold

I saw the gleaming white pearl inside

Waiting for my touch

So white and pure

That it mesmerized me and held me captive

And then I realized that

The most precious things in life

Are not won by force

But by being tender and patient!

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