When my children were little, we took a family trip to Sea World. Shamu, the giant whale, did not capture their imagination; they were fascinated by the pearl divers. They listened attentively, as the pearl divers told stories of diving deep into the ocean to look for valuable pearls.

Today, like my small children, I, too, am fascinated by pearl divers. I love to listen to others as they speak of diving into often deep and sometimes murky waters to look for valuable pearls. They share sightings of the hidden treasures that they find both within them and around them. I respond by inviting them to hold onto these pearls and explore them more fully. It is such a privilege to sit with these pearl divers as they share their stories and get in touch with how the divine (however they name and experience it) is working in their lives. As they reflect on both their inner and outer experiences, they are often able to discover pearls such as peace, strength, hope, purpose, connection, and compassion in their lives and in turn to generously share these with others.