The Way I See Things

My symbolism stems from several years in the jewelery business. In this writing, I have tried to encourage looking upon one of true worth without the distractions of passing fancy.

The Way I See Things-An Analogy by Suzanne C. Suber   Please picture yourself in this scenario: You have a jeweler’s tray set before you full of cut semi-precious stones. They sparkle and attract your eye. So much so, that your desire is to reach out to and touch them. One by one you pick them up and examine them more closely with magnification, but as you do so you notice things that were not at first visible to the naked eye. Several are not fully polished, so you put them back. Others have from slight to numerous internal flaws that were not originally seen from the onset. Then others are really not as colorful as they seem, they in time, would only bore you.   Taking a break from your perusal, you turn slightly and catch sight of something far more precious. Your focus becomes intent upon a very attractive, nearly translucent cream pearl. You want to touch her. You desire to feel the smoothness of her nacre. She appears so perfect for what you have in mind that you desire to slide her against your teeth to see if she is truly genuine. Your eyes examine her closely from every direction. Her translucence allows you to see her glowing heart.   You wish to possess her as your very own but something holds you back, something that you are not quite sure of. You have held semi-precious jewels in your palm before and in some instances, been a disappointment to you. Whereas this pearl, is not only precious, but unique. It confounds you and your mixture of desire and doubt is daunting.    It is with trepidation that you turn your head away from her as you notice flickers of light against the wall created from the prismatic effect of the colored semi-precious stones in the tray behind you. They vie for your attention. You hesitate to turn too severely, for in doing so you may lose the opportunity to possess your pearl and lose her to another. You have done a thorough research of jewels in your lifetime. You are aware that kingdoms have been fought and lost over the attainment of a rare pearl.   While turning away, you notice yet another buyer, catching you in an unsure ready. A decision is to be made, one that you were not anticipating: how strong is my true desire to possess this one rare find, to keep her as mine and mine alone. Should I let her slip through my fingers and be satisfied with colorful, yet not so precious gems. My decision was a difficult one: to own and possess such a rare and unique find upon this earth in lieu of other enticements. My heart advises to not allow another to possess her, for it knows that she has been yours from the very moment that you laid eyes on her. It is your mind that puts up a battle.   Quickly, you seek out the jeweler and offer a price before it is too late. After much bartering, the purchase price is agreed upon. It is a very happy moment for you indeed, while you are unaware of the much greater happiness that lies ahead. As the jeweler removes your possession from his display and gently lays her upon an aubergine satin pillow, enclosed in a clear crystal box, you cannot take your eyes off of her until she is concealed within a golden satchel.   Pausing as a father giving away his daughter in marriage, the jeweler hands you your prize. You hold it close to your heart and promise to cherish. For, you are not about to let this one get away. Once you are in your room, you set the little crystal box upon your dresser so that you can view its precious contents. There you touch her and hold her dearly in your hand, knowing that the oil from your skin rejuvenates her and keeps her alive. She is a water maiden, much like your self.   Then, after some time, it just does not seem like enough. You want to reward her for all the happiness that she has wrought. Although you do not want her out of your sight, you leave her in the jeweler’s capable hands, with the guarantee that it would only be a short period of time. You desire to bestow her with a precious gift. The jeweler is commissioned to carefully form a narrow carved gold band with the purest of diamonds about her circumference, a fashioned halo of embellished yellow gold to radiate her inner beauty.   While she is being cared for at the jeweler's, you become distracted, for she is out of your sight. You have responsibilities to attend to and other slight jewels capture your attention. But one evening, as you look up at the starlit sky, your heart skips a beat at the splendor of a luminescent moon in all it’s splendor. It is encircled in a misty haze.   “My pearl” your heart echoes. She had been so precious, yet you almost left her behind.   The night is long. You will be unable to recapture her once more until the morning. Unable to sleep, you continually glance at the clock on your bedside. When the time approaches, you quickly shower and dress. You become very anxious to set your eyes on that glow that puts your heart at ease. The assurance will return, knowing that she is truly yours, that you actually possess this genuine and unique pearl.   Peeking into the showroom window, you see the jeweler setting up his cases. Catching sight of you, he waves his hand as if to say that he will be with you in just a minute. You find it difficult to be patient, not wanting to wait a moment longer. As the jeweler opens the door he expresses the thought that perhaps you had forgotten your prize, and that you were on his list to call today. He informs you that he has had several requests for a pearl such as your’s, but yours was such a rare find that he has been unable to locate another for the price. Would you be agreeable to sell it back to him at a higher price? Just the thought makes your heart sink.   The jeweler had left the showroom to retrieve your pearl. If you sold her you would be able to continue purchasing, trading and selling semi-precious stones. That was a possibility. But as the jeweler returns to the showroom, her opalescent glow reached out to you. There she lay on a black velvet cushioned tray awaiting her master. A tear fell from your eye, for upon a closer examination, you once more saw her heart. You knew then and there that you would no longer have her out of your sight, for she was truly yours to cherish. You would care for her and never allow another to take this beauty away from you.   © 9/04/07 1,152 words   © 2007 Suzanne C. Suber

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Reviews

[MarieCo214]

Truly fascinating. As I was reading, I couldn't help but get the feeling that the meaning behind it was symbolic. At certain points, I actually caught myself thinking in the perspective of a guy and picturing a girl I loved to be the pearl. That's an interesting spin indeed. Was that your intention?
Anyways, well done. The thin line between the views blurs a little, but that just makes it better with deeper meaning. It's an obvious comparison to people who read it and that's very good. People tend to find it frustrating, well some people, as they know there's a deeper meaning, yet it is not as simple as right there in their face.
In aspects of calling it a story, that doesn't seem right as I believe a story has a plot. I'm wary of calling it a story, but two factors stop me. One, there's no other category this site gives to consider and two, there's a story line, even if there's no evident plot. Then again, you chose an unusual style that literally captures the reader.
Overall, good job. It's a well written piece with an adequate voice. Keep writing.

- Marie Co 214