Fluttering Into Spring!

By: Leah Elms, HR Manager

On this first day of Spring, I love to think about the lessons of the butterfly. They start their lives little eggs, and from this, a tiny, lumbering caterpillar grows from those eggs. Its life is full of small daily things that help it grow, preparing it for what it will become.

Then, one day, it creates a cocoon for itself. From the outside, this cocoon is not pretty. It’s hard and enclosed. On the inside, everything is dark and confined. Nothing feels the same for this little caterpillar! In fact, its whole insides are changing and growing and becoming something different at a cellular level! It’s growing new organs – legs and wings and antennae – all while being stuck in this small, isolated place. As it patiently waits and allows all the transformation to be completed, it has allowed that dark space to create something unrecognizable to those who saw it when it first spun that cocoon.

Now, more hard work is in front of this creature. It works to break out of the silk and shell that has been its home and place of metamorphosis. It must struggle to break through those bonds. Patiently, since its fragile wings are not fully developed, it must be careful not to go too fast but not give up and remain bound. As it slowly works through this emerging, we see what hardship, struggle, and hard work can create – something of such glorious beauty. A creature that has been remade into something stunning – a beautiful butterfly.

Isn’t that like our lives? We may start small and not feel very special. As we diligently go through our early days, learning and growing and doing everyday things to the best of our ability, we are slowly preparing ourselves for all that we will one day become – what we were always intended to be. However, as we do what we know are the right next steps, we find ourselves in a dark, hard place. A place we don’t feel seen or understood. Nothing feels right, and nothing feels like it used to. We wish for the “good old days” and wonder why in the world we are being forced to endure this difficult, dark phase. But, if we stay faithful, we keep putting in the hard work, trust the process and show up every day doing what we know we are supposed to, we are also growing and changing! Strength of character and beauty of heart rarely come from a life of ease. It’s through the difficult days that we keep pressing on that prove how resilient we can be.

After experiencing the lonely days, we become better friends and family to others. Eventually, those dark days get less gray, and we start seeing the light of Spring, the following season in our lives. That doesn’t mean that after one difficult season, we are free. Unfortunately, like actual seasons that come and go, difficulty will continue to come and go in our lives. But Spring always follows Winter! We must choose to do our very best, despite the circumstances we find ourselves in. We can still look around and appreciate the strength and growth that happen uniquely in each season. As we do this, we realize our lives have grown into a thing of beauty as well!

We can be proud of all the hard work and appreciate the dark days for what they helped to create. Living well, our lives can be a beacon of hope for someone else who hasn’t yet seen what beauty can come from their struggle.

Last updated by khogan at March 20, 2023.