I love walking on the beach. Picking up seashells is one of the most relaxing tasks that I could simply do all day. Richard will always say, “don’t you have enough shells 🐚 already at home”? I always give an explanation of what I plan to do with another new batch of seashells and he relents.

One of my favorite shells to collect is an oyster shell. I’m not really sure how my fascination with this specific shell began, but I seem to have many of these in my shell collections.

So why am I sharing this information with you today? Life’s journey is very much like the seashell. Sometimes we get battered by the sand, wind, storms, waves crashing over the shells with fierce power. It doesn’t seem like an end is in sight….

We all have those stormy times in our lives where nothing appears to be going well and it seems that the storms will never end. Once the “weather” begins to clear, you can see/feel smooth places on the 🐚 shell… all better from the “wear” of the stormy weather. Of course you might find some rough edges along the seashell from the storm. Upon continued inspection, if the oyster shell is intact, the grit from the sand has helped to create a beautiful pearl…. alas the struggle of the storm, creating a lasting goodness & beauty.

As business owners, the “stormy struggles” can be quite real. For example, some months are much slower in the hardware business than others. We must be ready to “ride the waves” through to the other side. “No grit, no pearl” as they say….

In the past few weeks, a major retailer with a huge local impact in our hometown, has just announced another round of shifting/job changes, & layoffs. The “stormy season”for many local folks is just beginning to unfold.

My hope is that a goal of our local leadership will be able to minimize the impact of these job losses and strive for greater economic diversity within our community, bringing more businesses to our area, and created “a pearl”.

As local business owners, we have been given a unique opportunity to reach out to our local community and connect with them in new ways. Those who were accustomed to going to the “box retailer” may begin to shift ideology and visit our stores. Are we ready to connect with these new folks??? It is time for us to remember this age old phrase, ” the world is your oyster, you are the pearl”…

Our mission at Wilkes County Hardware, treating our customers like pearls 😊, a rare & precious find .