• I am more precious than a pearl
• I am more precious than a pearl
• I am more precious than a pearl
• I am more precious than a pearl
• I am more precious than a pearl

Any time I begin to question my personal worth and value, it’s time for me to examine what I’ve been putting out into the world. A genuine pearl is amazing because it’s spent years forming inside of a protective shell, the oyster, adding one thin layer of coating around a minor irritant until a beautiful sphere is formed. The same can be said for my authentic personality. I’ve spent decades forming the person I’ve become within my protective shell, my body, adding one thin layer after another of translucent luster until my life glows from the radiance within. And yet, not all pearls are authentic. Most pearls are produced in a lab, made into perfect uniform balls, or into whichever size, shape, and color the consumer desires. These pearls are much less expensive, i.e., much less valuable, because they’re not unique. They’re a quick fix, a cheap imitation of the original. So, when I begin to feel as though I have no worth or value, I know it’s because I’ve not been my authentic self. I’ve been hiding the imperfections that prove my identity, and those are the gifts that make each of us precious beyond comparison.