Diamond, Pearls, and Butterflies

I've been feeling the heat.

The pressure of making your dreams come true certainly can be nearly unbearable at times. During a recent bout with frustration, I was reminded of some of the world's most beautiful things that come out of pain, pressure and perturbations.

Diamonds. Some people love them. Some people think they're overrated. Whatever your opinion, you can't deny that they are one of the most precious and most beautiful stones. Do you know how diamonds are created? Pressure and heat. Without these two things in the right combination, diamonds would simply be carbon. Black, dirty, cheap, a pollutant.

Pearls. Have you ever gotten something in your eye? An eyelash, a speck of dust? Irritating isn't it? Well, as most of us know, pearls are born of similar irritations. Sand, dirt, or another foreign-type object enters the oyster. The oyster in order to protect itself begins to secrete a substance to cover over the irritation. Eventually, what we get is yet another example of something precious that comes from something uncomfortable.

Butterflies. A man was walking in a park one day and happened upon a butterfly in a cocoon. The butterfly was struggling and having a hard time breaking free of the cocoon. After a few minutes of watching, the kind man decided to help the little butterfly out. He took out a pair of scissors and snipped the sides of the cocoon to make the opening a bit wider for the butterfly so he could escape easier. Unfortunately, the man discovered too late that not only did he not help the butterfly, but he also left it deformed and unable to fly. You see, God designed the butterfly to struggle out of the cocoon. It's only in that struggle that blood is forced into its wings, strengthening it and making it strong enough to fly.

So my dear friend, are you struggling? Are you feeling the pressure and burden of getting something off the ground? Is the kitchen getting hot? Well, maybe instead of getting out, hang in there. Push through. Fight on. Persist to the end.

Do and the reward will be something beautiful, rare and very, very precious.