Deep in the heart of the jungle, untouched by time and far removed from modern civilization, a tribesman walks along a riverbank. He picks up a curious-looking stone — smooth, dense, and glinting slightly under the canopy’s dappled sunlight. He turns it in his hand for a moment, unimpressed, then throws it into the water, smiling at the satisfying splash it makes. To him, it’s just a rock. Nothing special.
What he doesn’t realize is that this “rock” is a rare, precious gemstone — the kind collectors would cross continents for, the kind that could change lives if only its value were recognized.
Weeks later, a prospector happens upon the same river. With an experienced eye, he notices the stone’s peculiar sheen beneath the surface. Heart racing, he retrieves it and gasps. To him, it’s not just a rock — it’s a treasure, priceless and powerful in its potential.
You Are That Gem.
Your value doesn’t change depending on who’s holding you.
To the wrong people — those who don’t understand your uniqueness, who don’t appreciate your heart, your vision, your struggles, or your gifts — you might seem ordinary. Disposable even. They might treat you like you’re just another stone, skipping you across the surface of life without a second thought.
But to the right person? To the one who sees you — who recognizes the depth, the rarity, the brilliance within you — you are irreplaceable.
The problem isn’t your worth. It’s the perception of it.
So here’s the real question: Are you surrounding yourself with people who treat you like a stone? Or are you in the presence of those who recognize the gem you truly are?
You don’t need to change who you are to be seen. You just need to be seen by those who know how to see.
Find your prospectors — the ones who honor your light, who believe in your potential, who remind you of the value you sometimes forget. And just as importantly, be that prospector for others. Recognize the brilliance in those who may have been tossed aside.
You are rare. You are beautiful. You are priceless.
Don’t let anyone — including yourself — convince you otherwise.
Troy P Zehnder 