JUST A LITTLE LIGHT
By Dawn Phelps
A Diamond in the Rough
Several years ago, while my husband Tom and I were in Arizona, we stared down into a gigantic, deep, bowl-shaped hole which was probably created thousands of years ago. It was massive, and the memory is still vivid in my mind.
The crater was first discovered by American settlers in the 19th century. In 1891, the chief geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey believed the crater was formed by a volcano, plausible at the time since there is a volcanic field only 40 miles away.
In 1903, a mining engineer named Daniel Barringer came up with a new theory. He believed the massive hole was created by the impact of a large meteor, and his theory was later accepted by researchers.
The crater is located near Flagstaff, Arizona, a large depression 570 feet deep and 4,100 feet across. Scientists believe that the meteor, weighing about 300,000 tons, smacked into the earth at 26,800 miles per hour.
They believe a large portion of the meteor disintegrated on impact due to the force and heat, leaving behind iron-rock debris around the impact site.
When the meteor gouged out the massive hole at Meteor Crater, fragments of iron-rock debris had tiny diamonds embedded in them. Perhaps the diamonds found in the area help support the theory of how diamonds are formed.
We now know it takes carbon, extreme heat, and pressure as found in the core of the earth at about 80–100-mile depths to produce diamonds. Some diamonds form more quickly than others, and most are produced by volcanic activity which occurs many miles down in the earth.
As pressure from the volcano builds, a channel, referred to as a “pipe,” creates an opening from deep in the earth that moves debris and diamonds upward toward the surface. In their raw form, diamonds are usually dirty and dull, in need of proper cutting and shining to bring out their brilliance—a diamond in the rough.
Other times diamonds are formed when meteors plummet to earth from outer space, creating heat and pressure as they slam into earth. As with volcanos, falling meteors leave behind destruction, debris, and sometimes treasures—treasures that must be dug out of the earth or chipped out of rock.
In the early 1900s, some locals, including diamond prospectors, believed the meteor may have also left larger diamonds. One prospector named Cannon, followed by his burro, roamed the meteor-strewn area in Arizona for thirty years.
Cannon was closed mouth about his business. Maybe he found diamonds; maybe he only hoped to. He went into town about three times a year for supplies, and there were rumors he carried large sums of money.
Cannon was last seen in 1917 when he was almost eighty. Then in 1928, a skeleton was discovered in a gravel pit. There were 2 bullet holes in the skull, and there was a piece of paper with Cannon’s name on it in the pocket of the clothes.
The coroner identified the dead man as Cannon, and many believed he was killed for his diamonds, a commodity that is sought for, worked for, and thieves are willing to rob or kill for.
Some diamonds are of great value, worth millions of dollars. They are one of the hardest substances on earth. They are beautiful. They, like people, come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors—clear, blue, green, red, brown, or yellow.
Newly discovered raw, rough diamonds can be properly cut and shined, increasing their beauty, brilliance, and value. Perhaps people are like newly discovered diamonds in the rough.
Life has a way of dishing out harsh experiences that are not always fair. Some situations are beyond our control, and we may become frustrated, angry, and sad. But remember, it takes extreme pressure and unusual conditions for a diamond to form, and even diamonds require polishing so they will shine!
Each of us is unique and valuable, and with work, time, and the help of God and friends, our rough edges can be polished until we shine. So, hang on. Maybe you are just a diamond in the rough!
“A jewel unless polished will not sparkle.” (a Japanese saying)
