song of jagged wisdom…..
Do they ever remember back, I wonder,
the cocoon, the struggle, how long they waited in the wings
for the final flutter
that sprung them free?
And now, in the dying light of day, do they ever miss the new
of their bright, torn wings?
Or is it even sweeter now
with their jagged wisdom,
the freedom hard won.
I let my eyes join their gentle dance,
dipping delicious across each petal,
and tune my heartstrings quiet
so maybe can I hear their song.
It seems simple what their wings whisper,
how this journey is messy
and thick with mystery
and even though it’s all so blotchy with pain,
nothing goes wasted,
nothing, they sing.
(that has got to be one of the bravest songs I’ve ever heard)
Maybe it goes something like this:
“The people who look the most beautiful are the same as us.
The only difference is they’re telling themselves they look good
and they’re letting themselves shine through.
The people who say the most profound, intelligent, or witty things
are the same as us. They’re letting go, being who they are.
The people who appear the most confident and relaxed are no different from us.
They’ve pushed themselves through fearful situations and told themselves
they could make it.
The people who are successful are the same as us.
They’ve gone ahead and developed their gifts and talents
and set goals for themselves.
We’re all working with approximately the same material – humanity.
It’s how we feel about ourselves that makes the difference.
It’s what we tell ourselves that makes the difference.”
-Melody Beattie
Exactly, Jennifer, there is strength in the struggle because without it, the butterfly would not get strong enough to fly and would die. What a beautiful metaphor.
You have pierced through the cocoon membrane and now it’s time open your beautiful wings to take flight. Be free and beautiful.
Hugs,
JB
Good grief, woman! I’m here and catching up with all the many profound statements you are putting down and find so many true to me/my life. I do believe we are on the same wave length and like Anne Lamott days … it’s like going to church!
I love the ephemeral beauty of a butterfly, or of a dawn, a rainbow…
And when I see the supremely confident people who often look as if their life is easy I think of ducks. Who look so serene and effortless. And out of my sight, their litte legs are going hell for leather keeping them in place…
Wonderful. If life was easy our struggles would not matter. Hugs my dear.
I am a fan of yours…and Melody Beattie! Beautiful words, thoughts, Jennifer poetry and butterfly magic. Love to you, kath
Absolutely beautiful Jennifer. It’s so true it all boils down to how we feel about ourselves. And we are all more alike than we are different.
Last week I saw this beautiful little creature in one of my shrubs, when I posted about it on Facebook I didn’t know what it was but someone researched it and found that it’s a cecropia moth. This little moth that looks like a caterpillar is going to teach me a thing or two before it takes flight one day. Loved your post. xo
Your butterfly is just gorgeous — and so are your words. You’re right about wondering if they remember back in the same way as we do. I know if anything is my downfall it’s my lack of self-confidence. The journey IS messy. But it is a journey — theirs and ours.
I never thought of butterflies remembering back. So happy that with God there is nothing wasted. Nothing. Thanks for the beautiful reminders. Love you.
i’ve always loved metamorphosis as a metaphor for transforming but i never thought about a butterfly looking back…you always find interesting spins!!
I love feeling like the butterfly and I think I go through that cycle many times as parts of me emerge tattered and then die for a renewed me to re-emerge again and again…
I love feeling like the butterfly and I think I go through that cycle many times as parts of me emerge tattered and then die for a renewed me to re-emerge again and again…