The story of the bracelet and necklace

I was once reminded of a story :
It goes like this- A young girl who was just 8 went to the shop with her daddy. She loved her daddy so much that each time he carried her on her back. She would give her best cheer or simply sing her favourite tune. At the shop, she looked high and low. And look !! Something caught her eye. It was a pearl bracelet. Like all small girls, she wanted the bracelet. She wanted to be pretty like all the other girls. So, she pleaded with her daddy to give her a bracelet. Daddy knowing his little daughter's heart bought the bracelet and gave it to her. She grinned so wide that day, mommy could see all 24 tooths that day. She kept the bracelet in her secret shinny box and stored in her cupboard. She would always visit the bracelet and wears it to all her parties. She even polish every single pearl and hung so tightly to bracelet. And as the days past, daddy was worried about his little girl's condition. He knew that something had to be done.

So, on one Sunday, He asked her for the bracelet so that he could keep it. Frightened by the request, she ran away from her daddy so she could not hear him. Another Sunday, He came by and asked the little girl to give him the bracelet, she ran away again. Another Sunday, He came and the little knowing what the father would asked cried. She said she loved him but she did not want to give the bracelet away. It was so precious to her. She remembered the time she would show it to all her friends. She remembered that when she wore it she felt beautiful. She remembered that when she wore it she was someone. She was never alone with the bracelet, she felt loved and she loved it. As she finished, daddy got up and left. The next Sunday, Daddy came again and as he usually did after his story telling time. He asked her for the bracelet. Reluctantly she took out the bracelet that was wrapped carefully in cloth. She took it and placed in his hands and talked no more. Daddy got up and left.

As time pass, the little grew up. She became intelligent, beautiful and outstanding. She was witty and exciting. She had wisdom and her friends would come to her for health. She was the best. But every year on that Sunday, she would sit quietly and remember that fateful day, Daddy took away her bracelet. She would be sat and always wondered why he took that bracelet away. Now this little girl who is now grown did come from a wealthy family. In fact, her family was one of the poorest in that place. Still, she was happy because she lived happily with her family. On the 17th year of her live, as she did her usual ritual : to sit under the tree and be silent for the day. Daddy came by and sat beside her. She did not reply or respond but sat quietly under that tree. Apart of her was still mad, apart of her was still wishing that Daddy did not take that bracelet away. She felt something coming across her neck. She was frightened but realize it was Daddy's own hand around her. "Now, Look" as he took out the mirror and showed her. She saw a genuine pearl necklace around her neck. She screamed in delight and hugged Daddy.
" You are beautiful even without the bracelet. You see when you were young, the bracelet was your world. You withhold it so close that you did not know how to grow. You stopped believing in yourself and relied on the bracelet. I took it away. The necklace is the sign that you have grown. I took pains to buy you this necklace and knew this would be the right time. You are beautiful with or without bracelet or necklace, but it takes time for you to developed this beauty. It take time for you to trust me. it takes time for you to be wise." But it was a time that was wasted. You did well grow on !!