Oyster or Pearl?

My girlfriend has an adorable shop downtown, The Urban Market...soon moving to The Stash.  The Market was filled with inspirational goodies for everyone from crafters to those searching to find their passion in life.

I picked up a couple of treasures there this weekend. First, this card by Curly Girl Design:

"Tired of being an oyster, she decided to try life as a Pearl for awhile."

I love it. It's inspiring. It reminds us that we have a choice, everyday.  Live like an oyster or open the shell and live like a pearl?

Personally I like having the option.  I feel I've been living like an oyster for awhile.  When I had my 1st baby, I closed the oyster a little bit,  actually quite a bit; I had a beautiful new pearl to protect.  My world became small and I liked it.  That way I could focus on my new baby and have less outside 'threats'.

I've posted before how I'd had a hard time after my first. Crying for weeks. Especially at the thought that this little being I'd been sharing my body with is now out to be shared with the world, and from that moment on this baby would be growing away from me.  That baby is going to be 6 years old next month and what a joy it's been to watch him grow and to realize it isn't necessarily away from me, but along with me.

Two more babies later and the shell of the oyster is slowly cracking open again. Light is shining in and it's beautiful. 

The second purchase I made at The Market was a necklace from Lucky Feather's Pretty Moon collection. It's essentially a little gold star on a string, it's simplicity is perfect.  The message on the placard it was attached to said "Dream Big.  Reach for the Stars. May this necklace empower you to live your dreams."  And on the back, even better:

"Begin doing what you want do do now.  We are not living in eternity.  We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand-and melting like a snowflake..."  Francis Bacon

There was another Lucky Feather necklace that I didn't pick up. A shamrock "Welcome good fortune.  Wear this necklace and good luck will find you."  At the moment, I needed to decide which I wanted more, the inspiration to act on big dreams or hang my hopes on a lucky charm.  After I got home and unpacked my goodies, I realized if were living life like a pearl,  I would've known I didn't have to choose: I could have bought both. 

I'm going to try living life as a pearl for awhile. I may close the top again, but now I know there's a choice.

The shamrock necklace is mine now too.