In class writing

"The secret of an opal's color lies not in it's substance but in its absences." Opal is precious and beautiful because of its variety colors. I think "opal's color" in this quote means some wonderful things in our life. If we want to find the most wonderful things in our life, we shouldn't just focus on some physical things or substances that are exactly exist in the life, should find more things we can't easily see it, some spiritual, immaterial things. In this book, I think it especially emphasize the "substance" wealth and opal, the "absences" love between people. At the beginning, people don't realize the importance of relationship in this community, many people don't believe in kellyanne and her imaginary friends Pobby and Dingan, they think Dad is ratter and he steal the opal in Old Sid's mine. Everyone just lives in own place and is crazy for opal and wealth or is a bit jealous to person who find opals. Dad doesn't care a lot about his family, always dream that he will find opals and got money. Mom miss her more confortable life in England. When I am reading, I feel everyone is indifferent to each other. This community is in a bad life. But after the missing of Pobby and Dingan, Ashmol makes everyone connect together to find Pobby and Dingan, to help kellyanne. They feel good with helping her and was sad for the lost of Pobby and Dingan at last. That makes people realize there are something else more wonderful in the life, the love and relationship between people. That has ever been the absence, and something people can't touch it. And the relationship between mom, dad, kellyanne and Ashmol is also became touched. Love and close relationship in this community makes everyone feel living in a community full with love, not indifference. This is the secret to find wonderful things in life, care about the love between each other.