Thursday, October 15, 2015

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Someone posted a video on Facebook recently of the most horrid looking thing I have ever seen.  It appeared to be a burned gherkin pickle with painted on eye balls, and it had a bright orange forked tongue that resembled the horns of Satan.















The comments on this apparition ranged from disgust to fear, including one man who asked, “Are the lambs still screaming, Clarice?”  But then the voice of reason shone through, and a level-headed nature lover declared that this was an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar.  And this is what it becomes once it is done terrorizing the villagers …











Turns out that the creepy little creature was not a warning sign for the end of days.  Turns out it was the promise of better things to come.  It just had to go through the ugly to get to the beautiful.  I bet the change was scary, though.

We have had some changes at our house too.  This week, my daughter officially exchanged her cleats for boxing gloves, and her lacrosse stick for a paintbrush.  She wriggled out of her cocoon to see what else was out there in the world. When she first told me and her dad of her plans, I was supportive, but really unsettled about it, until I noticed she's the happiest she has been in a long time.

It took courage for her to leave behind a sport she has played, and identified with, for so many years.  And she is using this new-found confidence in other areas of her life -- confronting a bully, setting higher standards in her relationships, and taking ownership over her future.  She is literally kicking butt.

I have always found change to be difficult and uncomfortable, but in this case, it has been like a strong cleansing wind that has swept through my daughter's soul and given her wings.

So, I leave you with David Bowie, who seemed to understand parenting much better than I.  And, once again, I have received from my daughter another lesson in living:

And these children that they spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through
                            --- David Bowie, Changes

Until next time, keep crowin', and embrace the butterfly!