The Chrysalis Effect

I would like to share what I call the Chrysalis Effect…

From everything ugly and even seemingly disgusting (e.g. a ‘worm’ in a chrysalis),
something beautiful and even wonderful can emerge (e.g. a butterfly),
through metamorphosis, that is not just physical but spiritual too.

This is the power of change within this life,
but there must be willingness to change now,
which can entail some growing pains.

This the power of rebirth within this life,
of conscientiously transforming our thoughts now,
which in turn transforms our actions and life.

Related online story:

One day, a small opening appeared in a cocoon (chrysalis); a man sat and watched for the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.  Then, it seems to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could not go any further. So the man decided to help the butterfly: he took a pair of scissors and opened the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a withered body, it was tiny and shriveled wings. The man continued to watch because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would open, enlarge and expand, to be able to support the butterfly’s body, and become firm. Nothing happened!

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a withered body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and his goodwill did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, were nature’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes, struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we went through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been. Never been able to fly.