Opals

   If you go to the average jewelry store and look in the cases, you will see many sorts of gems. Sapphires, diamonds, rubies and emeralds are among the many you will find.
   However, there is one gem that you won't see very often in jewelry stores.  The opal is the birthstone of October, but it is hard to find it in stores. Some jewelers will even substitute pink tourmaline as the October birthstone. Why is the opal not a popular choice?
  Actually, the opal is one of the more interesting stones because of all the stigmas attached to it. The reason the opal is the birthstone of October is that legend says that if one wears an opal and  is not born in October, the wearer will be cursed.  Jewelers are surprisingly superstitious, and many won't touch opals because of the supposed 'curse' . They will swear it's true because it has happened to someone they know.
    Sometimes, I feel that Asperger's is a label almost like that of the opal. That we are almost 'cursed' to lead a lonely, friendless life. However, this isn't true, not in the least. Aspies are not cursed, and we can have friends, we just need people who are willing to work with us, and we bloom under care. So Aspies, don't worry if someone shies away because of the stigmas of who we are. They don't deserve your opal-esque brilliance.