Paths are a funny thing. So many of us never alter our daily route. It becomes so engrained that we even follow it - unintentionally - on days we don't have to. Tracy was like that. She never wavered from her normal morning route to the office, her mind swirling with the many tasks of the day ahead.
But on this particular day, Tracy needed to make up time to get to an early meeting. So she briskly walked through the alley behind her building instead of going around to the front like she usually did. From a distance, she saw Pearl propped against the building's wall and instinctively avoided eye contact. But Pearl's enormous personality was too large to ignore and Tracy inevitably found herself drawn to the woman's toothless smile. Not to be overly engaging, Tracy curtly returned the smile and purposefully went along her way.
The vision of this woman, seemingly oblivious to her unfavorable circumstance, haunted Tracy throughout the day. The next morning she re-traced her route and again encountered the ever-smiling Pearl. Again they exchanged smiles, but this time Pearl said, "You have a good day now, sunshine." All week, as Tracy walked her new path to work, her encounters with Pearl slowly built. Each day Pearl would wish her a good day or offer a word or two of encouragement.
Saturday brought an odd feeling for Tracy. She missed seeing Pearl, and wondered if she was okay. The weekend had been exhausting and fraught with challenges for Tracy and her kids as she struggled to make ends meet and build a better life. The thought of facing another week in the caverns of her office brought knots to her stomach. In truth, Tracy's life was consumed with stress and spinning wheels and she was juggling more balls than anyone could imagine. Monday ushered in the normal hectic ritual of getting kids ready for daycare and school buses, preparing lunches, writing out lists of things to do and coping with a multitude of niggling loose ends. In the pit of her stomach was the realization that the weekend had provided neither the time nor the energy to prepare the reports for work that were due by noon. Yet with all of this, she was able to catch an earlier bus and use the additional time to pick up two cups of coffee.
Turning the corner and seeing Pearl brought an odd comfort to Tracy. Rather than wait to return Pearl's smile, Tracy initiated the exchange as she approached her with a morning gift of warmth and humanity. With the sharing of names and Pearl's obvious appreciation for the coffee, an odd realization began to form. Tracy sensed that Pearl could see the trouble in her soul, her discontentment, her frustrations and regrets, her sense of suffocation. And she began to talk. Slowly and guardedly at first, but as the weeks passed and the morning coffees continued, dashed dreams and life's realities emerged. Pearl always listened with sincerity and understanding, even when Tracy frustratingly wondered how she could possibly relate. Yet, as each session ended, Pearl had prompted a question or suggested a direction that seemed to make sense.
Tracy shared her dream of becoming a designer and allowing her inner creative soul to emerge through clothing. But she also questioned how that could ever be.
"It takes courage to be yourself," Pearl said. And with that, she slowly began building Tracy's belief in herself. As her confidence grew from her daily encounter with this unlikely mentor, so did her resolve to follow her inner path.
Through the summer, Tracy found the time to begin sketching again and brought her ideas to share with Pearl in the morning. They'd laugh at some and Pearl would always pick the one she thought would look best on her. In a moment of realization Tracy came to understand she needed Pearl. She never questioned the source of that wisdom, just let Pearl flow inside.
A chance encounter through a co-worker brought Tracy face to face with a woman who looked at her fashion ideas and proposed a partnership. She couldn't wait to share her good news with Pearl.
That night, her new partner called and they chatted for hours about building the line and the funds needed to make it work. Tracy felt exhilarated as her partner supported each of her visions and ideas – in particular, the two items that Tracy felt were not negotiable.
Springing to life the following morning was easy. Up 90 minutes before the alarm, Tracy finished all the lunches and her kids sensed that a new era was falling into place as the morning routine slid into completion and everyone was on their way early.
Over the coffees that had started the relationship, Pearl listened to every passionate word that flowed from Tracy's mouth. Tracy shared how quickly things had developed and how, when the nitty gritty business details came up, she had only two conditions. The first was that their company had to be located in the building that Pearl leaned against so she could continue her morning inspirational talks. But as she looked at Pearl and thought of this condition, she had another idea. Impulsively, Tracy offered her mentor an office at her new company; a place to stay and perhaps help with the business.
Pearl looked at Tracy with gratitude but shook her head. "That's not for me, sunshine. It takes courage to be yourself and this is me. But you better not forget that, or forget to come and visit me."
Tracy nodded. And she understood. It was a revelation for her to realize that Pearl was right - that there is nothing more valuable than being true to yourself regardless of what that might bring. And she still had her other condition in place - that her new clothing line be called Oyster.
Why Oyster?
Because in every Oyster, there is a Pearl.