Lessons from the Entrepreneur's Desk: The Tale of the Missing Crystal

What if I told you that sitting in your true power, becoming a person of value, honesty, and integrity only takes the willingness to be committed the journey. Over time your commitment will result in all the pieces coming together, even the missing ones that seem to be gone forever.

So the story starts with me in a little well appoint beach apartment in a 5 story apartment complex a block from the beach. It sits along a lake that connects to the ocean. A prime location to enjoy the summer months to it fullest. Walking distance to restaurants, convection halls, little shops, and beautiful beaches. Its a town that accepts everyone and is different then all the other towns I've lived in. Everyone looks you straight in the eye and says hello when walking past, which is very rare in todays day and age. In a sense this place reenergizes the mind, body, and soul if you let it. It's innovative, building new buildings, new venues, and creating new events every year. A little gem of a place I call home.

This apartment has been renovated in the 2010's but was built on the 1920's... "The roaring 20's" as they call it. This building was for families to come and enjoy what the "Shore" has to offer. Providing a little place to gather and sleep for the next days outdoor events or activities. It has charm but allows the old merge with the new forming a cohesive distinct style all in its own.

Taking a peek inside; It has a cozy with a little foyer, a full working kitchen, and white shaker built ins along the lengthy wall in the master room. In the foyer when you first step in you first see this "old world" crystal chandler hanging from the ceiling as its illuminating the entrance. The story goes that this chandler came from the landlords family estate in Delaware a long time ago... which he stated brought them good fortune to the family for decades. Since I've been in this apartment I've noticed this particular chandler has a set of crystals and one set is missing. Thinking the last tenant must of lost it or it got lost in transit to its new home from DE to the apartment at the Shore.

This apartment is very special to me. Living in this place I was able to reinvent myself and truly work on myself. Day and night to find a way to leave behind all the baggage that was weighing me down and rebuilding myself to what I wanted to become. The built ins shelves staked with business and self help books. The fridge filled with whole foods. Simplistic, with natural sunlight purring in and old character and warm colors to make you feel balanced. A place of some sort of Zen.

Morning routines of brisk walking on the boardwalk or beach along the ocean first thing in the morning. This is the place that I allowed myself to embraced who I truly wanted to become, who I should be at my core, and to live what I was meant to be. Working on one aspect of myself, mastering it, and moving onto the next slowly. Finding the pieces within myself to build this new version of me. Pulling them from the depths of myself, of my mind, destroying the old, removing what was holding back, and freeing what needed to be freed so it can thrive. This allowed myself to mold a new me on aspect at a time. All the hardships, turmoil, darkness, and pain was leading me into what I wanted my life to be... and this place gave me the space to do it.

Now back to the story; One day, as routine, I was cleaning my apartment. cleaning the bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, and sheets. Making sure my space is clean and tidy. As always I clean the HVAC intake filter in the foyer which is right next to this foyer chandler. Again I noticed the missing set of crystals. As usual I didn't think anything of it so I finished my cleaning. The next morning I go for a walk as I've done countless times, taking the same path, listing to music as I briskly workout my body and mind. I walked miles around the town. When I was headed back, I finally turn the corner next to my building which is a gated lot where the town stores all their summer equipment. In this lot sits a long pile of dirt that is remnants from the winter storms that will be cleaned up come springtime. As I turn the corner, take about 5 steps in, and glance down. I see this shimmer in the sunlight that's in the dirt. So I go over and see what it may be. I reach down and move away the dirt, dig it out, and I was amazed what I found. I recognized this item before... but where? It was chipped, with the disintegrated metal holding it together. I thought for a second... this was the missing crystal to my chandler. I rush to my apartment only to find out it was the exact same crystal that was missing. Eureka!

Years! This crystal was removed from its home for years and still made its way back. A little battered and chipped but its now back home in its rightful place. I walked this path for years and didn't notice the crystal sitting there. Maybe the storms had to uncover it or maybe it had to experience dark times before it get to where it truly needed to be.

As I ponder I think to myself; this crystal represents something you lost about yourself. Something that is not perfect, something you seek to find again, and something that is your missing piece.

Its a lesson that we must accept the path in front of us in order to complete and find the pieces to make something beautiful. We can only find it if we take action and open our eyes to seeing it. I can say that consistency lead me to the crystal, or maybe it was ready for me to find it, or maybe it was pure luck. In any case this crystal was lost but somehow someway it endured the elements, avoided getting swept up, and shined so that one day someone can pick it up.

It reminds us that It doesn't matter how the crystal ended up outside away from its home. It doesn't matter that the crystal was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It doesn't matter that its now chipped and no longer the same. What matters is that it was found under the right circumstances and was seen because it shined in the sunlight ultimately going back to its rightful place.

In closing let me say thing; Allow yourself to see what is missing in yourself and walk the path to find it because one day you'll realize what was missing was just a few steps away all this time. Allow yourself to shine from the darkest storms so that one day others will see you shimmer and include you in what is truly fulfilling.