The Sand Grain

Dear One,

I am going to tell you a story - The story of a lowly grain of sand.

It was tiny, coarse and grainy; and it lived by the sea. It was just a miniscule speck of sand, so as it's countless brethren. They all shared the bosom of the sea. The sea held a special fascination for our little grain. But the sea, with it's changing moods, used to toss and mix the small grain hither and thither with it's wavy hands, night and day. The unfortunate sand grain neither belonged to the land nor to the sea. A day came, when the sand grain was fed up with it's mundane existence. It prayed to God to relieve it of it's constant misery and take it back home.

God simply smiled.

Years passed by, the sand grain was still the same; forlorn and destitute. It had began to accept it's misfortune and led an uneventful life. Acceptance is an invitation to misery. Life, thus went on for the poor sand grain. Now, it had stopped praying, as it had resigned to it's plight.

One day, a huge wave appeared from no where and sucked it deep into belly of the mighty sea. The poor sand grain didn't resist as it had given up all hope to be of any use. The belly of the sea was churned from it's very pit and the sand grain got lost once again amongst it's countless counterparts. But this time, something happened.

A small shelled creature got hold of our protege and let it stay in it's abode. The sand grain, at first, got scared by the white fleshy interior, but then got used to it gradually. It knew, it was at least safe from the foamy hands of the capricious sea. As days went by, it soon found itself covered in a sticky lac produced by this hideous creature. It vehemently protested and fought the transformation; but it was too late.

As the glean of the morning sun kissed everything, something cracked open in the hands of a sailor. It was an oyster. From it emerged a shiny white pearl of exquisite beauty. It shone like the moon, while the sun was still around the corner. Whoever saw it was taken by it's beauty and freshness. It's beauty made the sea blush with envy. It became the cynosure of many eyes and it's life had come a full circle. The grain of sand had attained salvation.

Once again, God simply smiled.

Peace in oneself. Peace in the world.