The Pearl

I’m back from my road-trip to New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast after visiting with friends and family.  I visited my grandmother – Medora III – which was enlightening as always.  We both love nothing more than to share a cup of morning coffee together and catch up.  Younger folks call is “hanging out” and whenever we get together it’s what we do best.

As Medora III is past 90 now, we both know that the number of coffee talks that we’ll enjoy in the future are few.  We even talk about that and I feel a sense of urgency on her part to share with me one last nugget of wisdom just in case our most recent visit is our last. I tell her that I don’t want her getting any ideas about leaving us anytime soon. Our family needs her.  But, as she reminds me, the decision of when her time on earth is complete is not up to her or me. So, we both cherish and relish the time that we do have to share.

During our visit last week, she gave me something more valuable than gold.  She gave me one of her pearls – a pearl of wisdom to be exact.  It’s a thought that I really had to ponder to understand.  When I did understand, I realized what a gift she’d given me. As I don’t believe in selfishness, I wish to pass this gift – this pearl of wisdom – on to you:

“Hope is not necessary if you believe and then trust that you’ll be shown the way.”

Think about it. It’s so true.