"Did you know that an unwounded oyster does not produce pearls? Pearls are a healed wound. Pearls are a product of pain, the result of a foreign or unwanted substance entering the oyster, such as a parasite or a grain of sand. The inside of an oyster shell is a shiny substance called nacar. When a grain of sand enters, the nacar cells go to work and cover the grain of sand with layers and more layers to protect the defenseless body from the oyster. As a result, a beautiful pearl is formed! An oyster that has not been wounded in any way does not produce pearls, because a pearl is a healed wound." ~Imali Ngumntu Wam 387EEFE1-307D-4CDD-81EB-D72BCBECEACE