Pardon the irreverence, but I have given away all of my crystals except for a few pieces that have decorative uses in our house. After all these years and after all the brouhaha I must say that the effect of crystals--all kinds of crystals, including crystal quartz, allegedly the strongest--have too slow, too subtle, or absolutely no effect, unless what therapists are after is a psychological effect. In which case, why use crystals at all? As a matter of fact I have never encountered a person who was ever cured of anything due to crystals, and I found myself asking myself, What are all these tumblestones and geodes doing, taking up valuable space and catching dust inside my home?

Since when did crystal quartz give me clarity of mind, because I had it anyway? Why should I surround myself with rose quartz for others to love me, when all I have to do is love them first? How does tiger's eye make me prosper, when the really important qualities I need are common sense, wise investment, and proper timing? And if black tourmaline really absorbs negative energy and drives away "evil spirits", why isn't everyone clamoring for a huge supply?

It's gotten so that I cringe whenever someone twirls a terminator on his palm or on the top of his head and exclaims, "I can feel it! I can feel it!" I mean, so what? A lot of other, simpler, feelings are a lot more soothing to me: the wind from an electric fan and an air-conditioner, ice cubes, hot water, a good massage, a kiss, another person's touch, et cetera.

I will keep to diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and South Sea pearls, thank you very much. They seem to have an EXTREMELY healing effect on me. I will, for example, quickly and even immediately recover from a migraine headache once you gift me with any of those, no matter what they are wrapped in. But then again, they aren't really "crystals", they are precious stones. Very precious stones.