Sunday meditation: Pearls

My online photo group had 'a modern still life' as its theme for November, so I was playing around with ideas. There's a cherry tree down the road that I noticed had really prettily coloured autumn leaves, so I went and collected a handful. Simply arranged, I loved the glow and texture of them. However, they didn't really look 'still-life-y' enough so I draped a string of pearls over them. It then looked quite sweet, I thought. 

I'm sure there's a metaphor for life in there, struggling to get out! I'm not sure quite what it says but it started me looking for 'pearl' quotes - and there are lots: 

“The world is your oyster. It’s up to you to find the pearls.” – Chris Gardner

“As a pearl is formed and its layers grow, a rich iridescence begins to glow. The oyster has taken what was at first an irritation and intrusion and used it to enrich its value.” – Susan C. Young

“Life is made up of a few moments all strung together like pearls. Each moment is a pearl, and it is up to us to pick the ones with the highest luster.” – Joyce Hilfer

 "The pearls weren’t really white, they were a warm oyster beige, with little knots in between so if they broke, you only lost one. I wished my life could be like that, knotted up so that even if something broke, the whole thing wouldn’t come apart.” – Janet Fitch

"The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." - Matthew 14: 45-46