Hi all,

Today’s motivation is a gem:

“The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.”
— Chinese Proverb

Interesting thing about most gems is they are among the most precious things many people hold dear. We think they’re the most beautiful of minerals ever to grace the planet. Books are written about them, songs are dedicated to them (Marilyn did say diamonds are her best friends), and we even use them in our lexicon to denote excellent. Yet, have you ever seen a gem in the raw? Many gems are among the most ugly things in nature.

I’ve had the chance to see an uncut amethyst in the raw and you would never believe in your wildest dreams how dull it is. If I would to display it in public, I would be ridiculed. Yet, when this stone of deep purple is cut and polished properly, it takes on a whole different meaning. It becomes a thing of beauty and high value. Most gems do this once they’re cut and polished.  In order for all gems to sell at the highest value, they must undergo this process. You can not create a thing of beauty without that process.

The same can be said of people, too. There are many times we’ll come across someone we may say is “a little rough around the edges” or “a diamond in the rough.” However, through a process, that person can also come out looking like a well-polished gem. Yet, we tend to forget that in order for us to come out shining like a diamond, we must go through a process, just like that diamond. Its only after we go through that we can truly shine!

Are you a diamond in the rough? Do you know someone that fits that description? Remember that in order to become that bright shining gem, you must go through a process. Once you do, you’ll come out shining like a diamond!