"Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful young woman who sailed the high seas with her father.  He was the commander of a fleet of ships that brought trade goods such as spices and silk back from India and the Middle East.  He was famed for his prowess in the trading business and for his wisdom. The young lady grew up with the feel of the waves beneath her feet and the wind in her hair.  With her dark mane and eyes the color and depth of the sea, she was famed for her beauty, but those who knew and loved her realized that her true beauty lay in the sweetness of character and purity of heart that she exhibited. 

Everywhere she traveled, she collected small mementos - a pretty pebble here, a trinket there, a bit of Mother of Pearl, a bead or two.  With these, she fashioned a bracelet for herself as a reminder that no matter how pretty something is, it will not last, it is simply a trinket that may be lost or damaged.  Beauty fades, unless it is the true beauty of a soul in love with God. . ."