Worthless Gem

Very nice Monica. I think your priceless. Was wondering where you've been, you lost your #1 status.

Been sick Stephen - and feeling blue! On the bipolar rollercoaster going down! So motivation to be at Gather has not been high -- Trying to come back up again! Thanks! You are priceless too! I know I am too, just feel worthless at times. I can share the #1 limelight! Sadi deserves it - she is very talented. I'll be feeling better soon and publishing more soon and off to coment like crazy again, but you see it does not take long to drop! I need a break and if I drop a bit - oh-well! Like I said - Sadi deserves it! I'm happy for her.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Thanks Dad - you came out of the woodwork! LOL Love you!

We miss you Monica. Flaws are my favorite part. Perfect people just piss me off. ;)

Monica , this is a gem itself and so are you. And it is through our imperfections that we are made whole.

Monica -

Man have I missed you. Welcome back, Darlin. Nice work again and I feel your pain. It's a damn shame that our society has become so shallow. You made my heart hurt a bit tonight. Glad to see that you're starting to feel better, though.

I hear you were puzzling over my 2 million dollar word in Cowboy Nights....LOL! Yeah - I can spell pulchritudinous, but I can't seem to spell "dawn" right (don)....LOL! I'm a flippin genius. :)

I'm going to have to start using spell check. Yikes!

Also - That article (Cowboy Nights) was rated a 9.9 yesterday and I came back today to see that with 1 vote, it fell to a 8.9! Is someone going around hitting top rated articles with 1's just for fun? Kinda sick and sad.

monica - good to see you again! hope you feel better.
this is a very powerful poem. no one ever looks inside, do they? it drives me crazy. thank you for these words, these thoughts. and it is true - i'd choose a flawed friend over a 'perfect' one any day!

Kat - Yes - I love flaws too! They are what make people endearing. When people try to be too perfect they lack character. Thanks!

Carol - Amen sister! Thank you - you are a gem too! In truth - we are all flawed - some won't admit it and some try all their life to desperately hide the fact, instead of embracing it. Sometimes my flaws tick me off, make me sad, get me down, but I know that they make me who I am.

Dave - lol - I missed you too! I was involved in a conversation about your word based on the words in stories, but have to admit I have not gotten to read all of Cowboy Nights yet. I will try to catch up soon. We went and looked it up and saw what you were getting at there.

Jessie - thanks! It's great people like you that do look inside, and what better people to have as friends!

i've worked it out Mon. you do poetry like this just so you don't have to punctuate, right?

Sowwy! You've written a beautiful poem and I shouldn't make light of it. (but i really think maybe a comma or two.... ROFL)

Thank God for my cracked Ruby! This is nearly as beautiful as you are.

LOL Carolyn! I am always tempted to use punctuation, but then I want to make it grammatically correct, and it won't flow as well. I am "Poetically Incorrect" -- look - I even tagged it that way! I live up to the nickname I gave myself! Of course you were there when I first penned that name! Hmm -- Here's a stab at it WITH PUNCTUATION:

Sometimes I feel like a worthless gem,

full of potential but flawed to no end.

Who wants the diamond with the spot?

The ruby with a crack?

The emerald with the white streak?

Who made the rules for what is flawless,

and what is to be desired?

Why can't they see beauty in difference?

Why are they so quick to condemn?

What are they missing out on,

not admiring that worthless gem?



How's that shake your boots? LOL!

LOL Mon you nut! I'm gonna have to borrow David's boots if I want some to shake in.

"Flaws" are the gems of the gemstone....
And remember, if we were bluejeans we'd wear that label: "flaws and imperfections are part of the overall desired effect"
Enjoy your down time, Sweetie!
See you in the Funny Papers!

Sorry you are not feeling well, Monica. Those flaws are family traits, passed on to you. God doesn't make mistakes! You're just the way He wants you to be. I'm praying for you to feel better soon.

Hey Sis! I am sorry you got the crud too. I am glad you are starting to feel better. The poem is perfect because it is so true about how we all feel. I know you probably don't feel this is true but we all feel that way. Even if I try to pretend that I have it together I most of the time feel that I am two seconds from a crash. ( plate spinner) I have always had the hyper side and I am big multi tasker but feel for all the things I do... I do very little very well. Get it? I am begining to think I am bipolar too. Thought it was just pms during certain times and maybe its a bit of both but I am sometimes VERY down and sometimes very high and I just wish for a normal boring life at times.

Oh well I think I have ranted for long enough. I love you .

When I am down, I just watch an episode of TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (the new incarnation). The preposterousness that goes on in those episodes are always enough to get me guffawing my insides out.

Monica - I've missed you as well!
Our flaws are what make us unique and unto ourselves. Besides, perfection is just plain stinkin' boring!

Up, up and away - oh mighty patron saint of the Gather newbies!

Remember, I for one, wouldn't still be type, type, typing away without your encouragement!

I hope you're feeling better soon Monica, it was a rough night last night, I've been in a funk all day. Thank God I have my dogs to entertain me and keep me busy

Flaws are interesting, they give things character:-)

"They" are missing out nothing if "they" are looking for the perfect gem.
Worthless gems are all around as and everybody has access to them, all the time, they are known. But the perfect gems are unique and unknown.

And by the way self-pity it is not the way to find them or to become one.

"D" -

"And by the way self-pity it is not the way to find them or to become one"

Nor are terse, unnecessarily critical, sarcastic and just flat insensitive remarks like this, Amigo! Monica isn't becoming a "gem" she IS one and is one of the most giving people on this Site. Showing just a modicum of respect might be a good lesson to learn, my friend.

Respectfully submitted of course...

I second that David. Well said.

Carolyn - I'm sure Dave won't mind if you borrow them for a moment or two lol!

Mary - Yes! Sometimes, knowing I am held is all that gets me through! You are a precious gem and one day God will bring the man for you into your life. You may be surprised when it happens, and it may come at the least expected time - like today! You are an awesome woman, a total blessing in my life, especially this week! Thank you! God bless you every day my friend, love you too!

Cathy - ah - perfect words - That was what I was getting at with this poem! Perfection is obsolete. It doesn't exist. Flaws are what make an item truly beautiful. I once panned for gems at a tourist panning shop and got a really pretty piece of emerald - but a big white streak went through it. "Oh that's a worthless gem. Can't do anything with that since it has that big white streak." I remember thinking that it would be so pretty if someone shined it up and made it into a pendant. I would have loved to have worn it. I was young then and have since misplaced that emerald, but the next time I am near one of those panning places, I think I will go and find myself a "Worthless Gem," have it polished and turned into a pendant and treasure it for all its flaws and the beauty that no one else saw.

Thanks Aunt Judy!

Pam - no, I know you are a plate spinner too lol! And yes, I think this poem says something about all of us! I love you too! God bless you every day sis!

Enoch - Just thinking of watching the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (the new incarnation) makes me laugh! Thanks!

Gisela - Awe - thanks! Well, I hope you keep typing away because I like reading away at your stuff!

Stephen - I read about your crazy dogs but missed out on the article about your bad night! I understand though! Gotta love our animals that keep up smilin' eh?

Nicole - I second that!

Dave - Thanks - my knight in shining cowboy boots. I prefer to not personally even say anything to "D" myself as he doesn't deserve my time. Thank you for always supporting me, having kind words for me, and making me laugh! You are such a great guy and a great friend. I am glad I found you here at Gather!

Ditto to you Kat -- except exchange guy for girl lol! I love you both!

Monica -

Ditto right back at your, girl! :)

A touching poem. Hope you spring back soon.
PS my engagement ring has a big flaw. You can't see it with the naked eye, but it's there. I wanted it that particular stone because of the flaw-- it reminds me that life (and marriage) isn't perfect, but it can still be beautiful. Remember the stories of Navajo Indians weaving a flaw into their blankets, and the Persians weaving a flaw into their rugs? I think the Japanese call it wabi sabi.. "The imperfections reveal that which is perfect."
You still "rock" girl!

This is beautiful and touching. If we all didn't have flaws what a boring world it would be.

Monica, all I can say is ditto to everything that has already been said. Your flaws make you, Monica, beautiful. My flaws have always made me different for as long as I can remember. The odd bird. I guess "D" CONSPIRACY considers himself to be one of the perfect cut gems. Shame on him for his comments. There is such a thing as tact and discretion which I did not use for him here since he did not use it either. So shame on me too. Hope you feel better soon.

Dave - :-)

Mimi - That is cool thatyou picked a flawed gem! Great idea! Great concept!

Rick - Absolutely - flaws add character!

Serina - Awe - thanks! I am feeling better!

Hi everyone! I just joined the group. This is Bert-the Civil War reeanctor-and have been on disability for three yeras for depression and a bunch of other mental problems. I am unipolar but there are times when I feel so low and lifeless I struggle to be "normal". At some point in my need to be normal it is as if I release a giant fountain of adrenaline. But what happens is I become manic. I am not aware of this process and it is not a medical description. My latest manic episode was telling my co-workers at the city shop that when I checked a water meter in a persons house I saw a den of rattlesnakes. They believed me! The police chief who was called to check out the rattlesnake den. I had to explain I was just kidding. I thought of the many comments made saying it is okay to have flaws. Intellectually I know it is true but it does not feel that way to me. My flaws just make me feel worse. So after my rattlesnake story I felt awful. On one my "down" day a thousand people can tell me it is okay to be depressed and I am still an okay person but one negative comment by someone else ruins the thousand positives. I repeat what I wrote earlier. I know flaws are okay and it is our flaws that make us human and unique. It is just there are times when I just can not believe it is okay to have flaws. Bert

Monica, this is a poignant and powerful piece. Thanks so much for opening your heart to us. I hope you feel better! Blessings on your skull!

Bert - sorry to be so late in catching this message! I understand where you are coming from, and in those moments, it is the hardest to believe anything positive. It is then when we have to fightthe hardest to remind ourselves that the negative thoughts and feelings we have are lies that will only cause pain and trouble. It is a hard concept to learn, but it does make it easier. Welcome to Gather and thanks for the comment!

Edward -- thank you! Down days are inevitable for me, but sometimes they open our eyes to the beauties of life - like realizing the beauty in flaws!

Sorry for the duplicate publishing to some groups - I cannot seem to fix it myself!

I honestly like this, it is the imperfections that create characters, character flaws sometimes add to the stories that we see in movies and win awards or emmys..I love it! great job!

I like it and I think flaws make things interesting. Perfect is scary