Do you know how to tell the difference between gold and fool’s gold?
I learned the hard way.
When I was designing for Zeus’s court, I wanted to create outfits that showed the importance of those in power.
I wanted to show the court off to the masses and make them know a new designer is in town.
To do that, I ordered a box full of 24 Karat gold, after all its a malleable metal that can endure whatever you throw at it.
While I waited for that delivery, my head started to go crazy with the ideas that popped in and out of my head.
I wasn’t just ready to design, I was ready to impress.
The fateful day rolled around and when the package was dropped off on my doorset, I sprinted to my door and ripped the box open.
Imagine my dismay when I could tell it wasn’t gold in the first place.
My ideas all became pointless, no gold zippers or buttons to accentuate a piece. No golden embroidered dress. No piece that would solidify my place as someone who deserved to be close to Zeus.
It was pyrite and I scrambled to do something with it to hopefully salvage the purchase. I researched its properties and whilst finding out about the stone, my hope was soon replaced with disappointment.
The stone was mutually harder than gold and even worse, more brittle. While I could strike gold with a hammer to flatten it or bend it to my will, the moment you strike pyrite, it shatters into dust.
There’s a reason gold is held in high regard and pyrite seems like it was designed to fool people and make the others in their life laugh their way to the bank.
However, it did show me one important thing.
While there is beauty in everything, appearances can be deceiving.
I told myself pyrite would never fool me again, never trick me, never deceive me into believing it as the gold it often tried to imitate.
I don’t know if you can say the same, Dr. Death.
We both have what the world would call gold around our waist but to me it’s simply pyrite or in my world, fashion jewelry.
Imitations of what people really want for a fraction of the cost.
Yes, what we wear is an accomplishment, we conquered others to attain them. For both of us, we got here before the gold rush but we have to admit it’s not the gold we were seeking.
I realize that and it makes me work harder from the bottom to get back to the top.
You seem to think yours makes you worthy to be at the apex to the point you’re shattering yourself every time you come close to an opportunity to challenge for it.
We both have to realize what we have.
I’m going to toss this fool’s gold the moment I know I deserve the real thing.
Will you do the same or clutch on to the gold you think you have?
From one champion to another, shatter the pyrite before you let it shatter you.