Caterpillar or Butterfly?

I recently saw this image floating around social media and paused for a moment because on that particular day I was feeling more like a caterpillar - deep in my cocoon not sure of myself or how the process of things would end. That particular day, I couldn’t see the colors and wings that could emerge from my enclosed, dark space.

Can you relate?

Some days, I feel the fullness of the energy helping me to flutter around, the magic of it all.

But there are some days that I just don’t.

I may have flourished in one or some areas of my life but I’m still incubating or fattening myself up as the slow moving caterpillar, gorging on all the things that will nourish my time of gestation and transformation.

It is true that dreams are fragile and living in the fullness of who we want to be takes so much courage. We do have to protect the energies that come and want to discourage us or doubt us. And yet, we are all caterpillars in some areas of our lives. Why can’t we be more patient with the other caterpillars around us?

Life is a process that impatience robs. It robs of joy through the day to day and the mundane preparing that must take place. It robs us of understanding and grace for ourselves and others. This grind culture that we live with all around us is so unkind to us all. The caterpillar is resting so that it can be prepared to fly, lets be patient with it.