Maga's Pearl

I tried to start this post all catchy, storybook style, but after too long sitting with an almost blank page, I decided I'm too sleep deprived to be witty. That's just the way things are these days.
Last week while in the hospital, Mom brought the bigger kids to visit their sister. While they are so in love with Sam, being in a small hospital room brings out the crazies. It was to the point in the visit that things were wrapping up and they were getting ready to be on their way to get some much needed supper. Mom was holding Logan, who somehow…yes somehow broke her necklace. The chain was no big deal, but there was a small pearl she had attached to the necklace that went missing.
They started searching the floor for the missing pearl, and didn't come up with anything. No one had heard anything drop, so Mom went into the bathroom and discovered it was lodged in her clothes…for a second. After the discovery, however, said pearl quickly fell into the drain, never to be seen again. An over-tired and overwhelmed Kaylee broke down. She was so absolutely devastated that her Maga lost her pearl…even though she had NOTHING to do with the loss. She cried…and cried…and cried. (Which made her tired, emotional Mom cry as well.)
Maga's reaction made me cry even more…a sweet picture of pure love and lesson of the non-importance of stuff. Maga pulled Kaylee close and explained to her that it was just a pearl and her true pearls were (mostly) in the room around her. She told her she loved her and the rest of us more than any pearl and that Jesus gives us pearls and blessings all the time.
It instantly reminded me of a friend whose daughter broke one of her mom's dishes. She quickly became afraid and devastated...fearing the consequences of not being careful enough. Instead of even a frown or a harsh word, this grandmother grabbed a plate and smashed it on the ground to show her granddaughter that her love for her far outweighed any plate or dish.
It is times like these that help remind me of what is really important. Far too often, I get so caught up in the day-to-day stuff that I forget to realize the bigger lessons at hand.