February 21, 2003, Newsletter Issue #68: Struggles Make Us Who We Are

Tip of the Week

I once heard the story of a boy that decided for a science project to take a caterpillar and watch it spin into a cocoon eventually to emerge as a beautiful butterfly.

The process was going smoothly. With excitement this boy watched the progress. Imagine the joy on the day that the cocoon began to open. He watched in amazement as the young butterfly struggled to free himself from that cocoon. His enthusiasm began to wane as he saw the poor thing struggling, beating with delicate little wings to get out. He could take it no longer and decided to help! He opened the cocoon in order to "set it free." When he finished, the butterfly just laid there, unable to fly.

What the boy failed to realize was the immense importance of the process of struggling to get out of the cocoon. That is how the butterfly gains strength in his wings. The stretching, pushing, and striving all cause the wings to develop. By opening the cocoon prematurely, the butterfly was unable to achieve the strength he needed to fly.

Often times it is difficult to sit by and watch another struggle through the difficulties of life. How understandable it is for parents to want to "open the cocoon" to assist their child. Or for a friend to want to run to aid his buddy. But we must remember that: all these struggles are part of what cause us to gain the strength needed to "fly" in this life.

I encourage you today to allow the process of change, the process of struggling and the process of growth and strength to take place in your own life as well as in the lives of others around you. Watch the beauty that will emerge!

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