Redefining Beauty
Finding value in kindness, not exploitation
The first time I learned how pearls are made, something inside me shifted. I had always admired their beauty.
The way they shine so effortlessly making any piece of jewelry look elegant. But when I found out that pearls are formed inside shells only when an irritant is inserted into them, forcing their bodies to react defensively, I couldn’t ignore the cruelty behind it.
We don’t just take pearls from shells, we manipulate them, make them suffer, and eventually kill them. And all for what? A decorative accessory? Do we really need pearls to survive?
This made me wonder. how many other things do we take from nature without a second thought?
Taking More Than Necessary
We humans have a strange way of existing. We claim to love animals, yet we raise them just to kill them for food, when we have the option to grow crops instead. We plant food, not for ourselves, but to fatten up livestock, only to slaughter them later. It’s not about survival anymore, it’s about excess.
We do the same with nature. We cut down forests, displace animals, pollute the air and water, and keep expanding endlessly. And now, as if Earth isn’t enough, we dream of moving to other planets.
When does it stop? How much is enough?
Maybe we’ve become so used to taking from nature that we don’t even realize when we have crossed the line. We convince ourselves that it’s "just the way things are." But deep down, we know better.
We know that forests don’t have to be destroyed for our convenience.
We know that animals don’t have to suffer for our plate.
We know that we don’t need pearls to feel beautiful.
So why do we keep doing it? Is it greed? Habit? Or are we simply too afraid to change?
A Moment to Reflect
I’m not saying we should stop existing or stop using nature’s resources altogether. But can we at least take only what we truly need? Can we pause for a moment and ask ourselves, do I really need this, or am I just indulging in excess?
Nature has given us everything air, water, food, shelter. It has never asked for anything in return. Maybe it’s time we start giving back. Not by conquering more, but by caring more.
Because real beauty isn’t in pearls. It’s in kindness. It’s in balance. It’s in knowing when to stop.
