The Pearl

The Pearl is tale of fortune and misfortune, or rather, mistaking one for the other.

Kino, a pearl-diver, could not believe his eyes when he pried open an oyster to find the most magnificent pearl he has ever seen, the fabled Pearl of the World. After spending all his life in poverty, Kino believed that this would change his life. His eyes envision a brighter future for his infant son, Coyotito. His heart full of hope.

In its 89-pages or so, the story of The Pearl is an allegory of every man's fate, fortunate and dreams. We all dream of that chance of a lifetime. We imagine it to occur in such way or in such form. What we don't realise is how we're setting ourself up for disappointment by narrowing our view of what is good or bad. Kino's life did change after getting the pearl, although it wasn't the change he imagined.

Nobody can really tell if something is going to bring benefit or harm. Yet we continue to make judgements about things to happen in our life. To this Allah SWT says in Surah Al-An'am verse 17,

If Allah touch thee with affliction, there is none that can relieve therefrom save Him, and if He touch thee with good fortune (there is none that can impair it); for He is Able to do all things.

Was Kino wrong for being happy? Was he punished for it? In all honesty, we might reacted in the same way if we were in his shoes. Perhaps our assurance lies in believing that every benefit and harm is from Allah, and nothing is inherently beneficial or harmful. He can change benefit to harm as easy as he can change harm to benefit.

The bad things in life can turned around so long as we keep extending our prayers and continue to believe. But it's hard to do so if keep prejudging every thing that God sends our way.