Today I’m going out to sell diamonds. It is part of a whole process in which I’m giving away and selling things that no longer serve my life.
Besides that more lofty reason, I could use the cash.
The diamonds are gifts from a time when my family and I valued such things. Though I never wear them, I have over the years held onto them like a safety net.
I arrive in a notable jewelry shop just off the Santa Fe Plaza. The jeweler, a young woman with short blonde hair and clear green eyes, pulls out her loupe and examines the first diamond—one of a pair of stud earrings.
My heart pounds as I await her assessment. Lately, I have held onto the idea that these diamonds might fund a few more months of my writing about The Inner Adventure.
The jeweler clicks her tongue and nods and then picks up the second stud. As she examines it, she shakes her head.
I feel the tentacles of my desire and call on my Beloved.
The jeweler says one of the pair is faulty—worth next to nothing. The other, however, is a nice diamond. Disappointed, but not defeated, I hold out the third that is a family heirloom. I have confidence in its worth.
As she examines it she smiles. “Yes, this is a quality diamond,” she says. “But it is old.”
I see that it doesn’t hold the sparkle of the diamonds that surround me in this shop. They glitter with such intensity that the whole room radiates with luminous colors, like thousands of rainbows reflecting off each other.
The jeweler hands me the loupe and invites me to look. I view the diamond up close—a stunning rock. In fact, I realize it is the highest valued item known. People give it as a precious gift to celebrate wedding engagements and anniversaries. It is the most treasured thing in the material world.
And yet…
While I gaze at the many prisms, the jeweler explains that this stone was hand cut. Today, through the precision of machine cutting, gemologists awaken much brighter sparkle, she says. Thus all the glitter surrounding me.
“We would not buy these diamonds,” she explains kindly. Again my heart sinks. However she does recommend an antique dealer down the street.
When I ask her the value, she says maybe $200 to $400.
What?
Honestly I had estimated thousands. And in its day, the heirloom may have been worth the equivalent of that. But even a diamond, the most prized of stones, the most durable and lasting gem, doesn’t hold value.
I go to one antique dealer and another. Both offer what the first jeweler estimated.
I head to lunch with a friend. While we lounge on a cushy couch in her living room, she tells me that she has a check for $100,000 that she will deposit in the bank today. It is one of many from the business that she and her husband own, which is worth millions.
She tells me that when she holds the check it feels heavy, full of weight. “When you have such money,” she says, “you have to protect it, so you don’t lose it, and so no one steals it.”
I know that weight. I have felt it with these diamonds over the years, and with other possessions.
“It’s the reliance,” I say. “When we rely on such things, life becomes perilous.”
In contrast, when I rely on the Divine, it feels just the opposite. It’s like a great opening into eternity. Rather than some bank account or some silly stone, I am relying on the Infinite, the very power that creates banks and jewels
We laugh at the peril. It has no hold over us. We are immortal and eternal, with a power at our fingertips that outshines the most precious of stones.
As I leave her home I suddenly have a vision of the jewelry shop’s sparkly diamonds, shining their rays in a billion directions, with all the colors of the universe reflected.
I am that.
Maybe, now that I don’t fear losing them, I will wear my diamonds, a reflection of my stunning inner radiance.
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Great review of what has values…and what doesn’t, Lesley. I was lucky to get 10% of the cost when I sold a few pieces awhile back. I was happy to off them. How great is our real fortune? Ineffable wealth…can’t be compared to anything or any amount. Thanks for reminding all of us that Love is the supreme essence underneath and hidden behind the cloak of materiality.
What you say is worth repeating, Al: “Love is the supreme essence underneath and hidden behind the cloak of materiality.” So very true. I have come to see how small are my little machinations and how large the great Divine power. I suspend into the love and let God do the rest. And how wonderful that you are free of those trinkets you sold.
Stunning inner radiance indeed!
Beautiful story Leslie!
I send you radiance and connect from rainy northern California!
Aloha, Nelson
Thank you, Nelson. Sending the radiant love right back to you in California.
Lesley, I appreciate you sharing your journey. I recall how the Master has said we are all diamonds in the rough, which He cuts, polishes and illuminates through His never ending Love. Now this is one spectacular gem that no amount of machinery can match.
His precision is flawless. And you are one awesome facet of His radiance.
Karina, what you say is simply beautiful! When I surrender to the polishing, life becomes easy and fun. We really can trust in the flawless precision.
Oh Lesley…….this brought back memories of some years ago when I was trying to sell my wedding dress and other small trinkets of jewelry. It too was such a Divine experience all around…..to the endless meandering around to find a good price, to letting it all go and imbibing in the Love. I ended up donating my wedding dress to a thrift shop and sending some jewelry to an exchange shop in San Francisco…….not getting much at all……maybe $200.00 minus the shipping costs. This blew my Mind away cause it has all of these ideas about the worth of these things…..LOL! Money has been a big issue in this lifetime for me…..all of the illusory tentacles the Mind holds onto with this one. I am continually tested again and again and again and again to rely on that which is Eternal. Somedays I am sooo happy for others and their monetary success and somedays not so much. But, it is my heartfelt desire to spiritulalize all of these limited and out-dated thoughts/viewpoints when confronted in the physical with my biggest fear (which is nothing when I am with the Divine) I have to remind myself that I have chosen a different way to use my energy in this lifetime. This is the battle that Arjuna and Krishna talked about….the battle for our attention and viewpoint in any given moment. What I gained was the understandings and Divine insights to further my spiritual unfoldment and some burn-off of karma. Thank you!….
I love the image of the clarity of the diamonds all around you being the True Diamond within after some great Divine washing in the Eternal washing machine.
You sparkle with your continued devotion and love for that which is Eternal and always lasting……within all of the karma’s we need to negotiate.
❤❤❤
It has always been a lifetime contemplation with me on what we would hold onto when everything else falls away……cause it will in some way or another and definitely accelerated if one has chosen to in this lifetime.
Wow, Debra, you have said so much in your post, and it all radiates love. We really are the raw essence that, under Divine care, transmutes into gold. We are the Divine alchemy, the Holy Grail. Our task is to own that truth completely.
Yes, even diamonds fade! and no matter how polished and well cut, in the dark they are like everything else, unnoticeable. It is what the diamond reflects (as you so eloquently have relayed) that display its True worth. I just love what you have to reflect my gentle yet brave friend.
I read not long ago that they found a planet that was a diamond…I wonder how the denizens there feel diamonds are worth. Perhaps clay is highly valued there (just some silly funny note for the day on my part).
Que Al Amor sea tu Diamante Eterno…:-) <3
Logan, there’s great profundity in your “silly little note.” Value is completely relative except on high where all relativity culminates in Divinity. We are so fortunate to be able to touch into that Divinity. Thank you, my eternal friend.
Miss Lesley,
we all have these heirlooms lurking in drawers, chests, closets, and cupboards afraid to use them, less they lose their value, by getting dented, cracked, stained, broken, or even just seen. Why? cause they were grandmothers or grandfathers or came from the old country or saving them for who knows what or to pass to who knows who. We need to enjoy these things, eat lunch on the good plates, drink a coke in the fancy stemware, wear the frillies just because. Most of these things are valuable because of the memories that they conger up when we’re around them, so why not enjoy those memories more often. Hum, I think I lost my train of thought. something about intrinsic vs extrinsic value. Anyway thank you for your post dear lady. happy day.
You make such a great point, Wade. The mind wants to grab onto the value of the thing itself, when the reality is so much deeper and more complex than that. Yes, we live in the now and are here to burn these lives up, to break our plates, scratch our cars, get married, get divorced, to live rather than try to protect ourselves. Those very things shine us into our complete brilliance. Thank you!
Another great share !! Lovely the way you can take the reader step by step…emotional honesty as well…leaving nothing out of the journey….& then to always bring in the Divine !! ….from diamonds to even better : a priceless GEM !!!! Thank you
Lesley, thank you for this story, which reflects what I am also doing now as I move forward as a new chela. I taught my sons that people are more important than things, but the love, guidance and protection provided by the Master has infinite value, and as he says, he will not leave us nor forsake us. With him is where we should place our value and our love and attention. Blessings to you for sharing with us.
Leslie,
All I can do is smile in this moment. We come into this earth journey as a piece of coal and life grinds away as the teacher, it can even hone us into a beautiful stone but it takes a true Master to refine us to the point of being “ The Light of the World”. I so appreciate the way you are used to invoke such beautiful images that brings the mundane into a higher view.
Thank you,
Sherri
Thank you, Sherri, Leslie and Susan. I very much appreciate you reading and joining in the conversation. We truly are priceless gems and we are learning not to sell ourselves short for the trinkets of the material world. How great is that?
Hi Lesley, I really just enjoyed your story of Diamonds Aren’t forever but Love is! It really showed how attachment to material things is so disappointing, where as attachment to the Divine is an opening into eternity! As you know, in my book I cover how my attachment to material things caused me so much pain in my life! I now as you so beautifully write rely on the infinite! I will enjoy something but am no longer attached to it! It is so amazing from someone who loved money and lived for it’s creation can now simple enjoy just being! Great post and thank you.
You are fortunate to have learned that lesson, Michael. It continues to be an ongoing revelation for me. Just when I think I have surrendered all, the Divine brings up a new attachment for me to give up. He assures us that our journey is eternal and we will always be surrendering lesser truths, which is good for an adrenaline junky like me who always looks for the next thrill. Thank you for bringing your wisdom to this site.
On another note a friend on mine works with raw diamonds, they are incredible beautiful. I admit I am drawn to the organic movement of the raw and untouched. And gratefully the Master is showing me the way to surrender into the movement of the sound current.
Interesting, Karina. I would like to see a raw diamond someday. More and more I see my own relationship with the raw power of the Divine current, and how it really is my responsibility to channel it in ways that most support my own journey in soul. It takes great courage for us to do so.
Such profound beauty and depth in each facet of your story and your inner reliance upon the true jeweler of old. We are but uncut diamonds in his hands awaiting the grit to be polished and the stone to be cut transforming our true and amazing brilliance and radiance. You are truly a quality gem as we all are awaiting our own unique polishing. Love you Lesley. <3
Beautifully said, Deborah. Moving through life’s challenges is much easier when I view the process the way you describe: “awaiting the grit to be polished and the stone to be cut transforming our true and amazing brilliance and radiance.” Yes, that says it all. Thank you, dear soul.