Story about happiness: How many "clay balls" have you thrown away?

A man was exploring caves by a seashore when he stumbled upon a bag full of hardened clay balls. They were simple, rough, and unremarkable, looking as though someone had shaped them by hand and left them out in the sun to dry. Perhaps children had made them as a game, or maybe they had some forgotten purpose. The man picked up the bag and examined its contents. They seemed useless, yet he decided to take them with him, thinking they might serve as a way to pass the time as he walked along the shore. As he strolled by the water, he absentmindedly tossed the clay balls into the ocean, watching as they flew through the air and disappeared beneath the waves. One after another, he sent them sailing into the vast sea, never giving them much thought. Then, just as he was about to throw another, the ball slipped from his fingers and hit a rock. It cracked open, revealing something inside. Curious, he knelt down and carefully pulled apart the broken pieces. To his astonishment, nestled within the dull clay was a gleaming, beautiful gemstone. His heart pounded with excitement. He immediately took the remaining clay balls and began breaking them open, one by one. Each one contained a different precious stone such as rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds. With every shattered clay shell, he uncovered more and more treasure, worth a fortune beyond his wildest dreams.

But just as joy filled his heart, a realization struck him like a wave crashing against the shore. He had been on the beach for hours, carelessly throwing away these clay balls. How many had he already discarded into the sea? Dozens? Hundreds? He had thought them worthless, never suspecting the treasure hidden inside. He stood there, staring out at the vast ocean, regretting all that he had lost. If only he had known earlier. If only he had taken the time to examine each one before tossing them away. What he now held in his hands was valuable, but it was only a fraction of what could have been his. And then, as he looked down at the last remaining clay ball in his hands, he realized the true lesson hidden within his discovery. Life is full of seemingly ordinary things like moments, people, and opportunities that we often take for granted. We may overlook their value because they do not appear extraordinary at first glance. But if we take the time to appreciate them, to look beneath the surface, we may find something precious beyond measure. As the man walked away from the beach, he no longer thought only of the treasure he had lost, but of the lesson he had gained. From that day forward, he promised himself that he would not let life’s hidden gems pass him by unnoticed again.