Did you know that an oyster will not produce a pearl unless it has been wounded in some way?
A pearl is actually a healed wound. It forms when an irritant, like a grain of sand or a parasite, enters the oyster's shell. To protect itself, the oyster secretes layers of a smooth, shiny substance called nacre, coating the intruder over time. Layer by layer, this process continues until a beautiful pearl is formed.
In a way, pearls are a product of pain-transforming something unwanted into something valuable. The more pearls an oyster produces, the more precious it becomes.