Hi everyone, firstly may I send huge apologies for my delay in writing a new blog post, but life has been a bit of a challenge of late. I will not go into the details of it all, but suffice to say that although I am a student of business at the moment, some of my greatest lessons these days have been much removed from the surrounds of a university lecture hall, and leaning more towards the daily challenges we all face. Life brings its own lessons and these are the stuff life is made of. Still, life goes on, and we learn to roll with the punches.
♥♡ ♥♡~~ Some of the things God whispers to you are to be proclaimed from the rooftops & others are to be pondered in your heart. ~~♥♡ ♥♡ ~ ƸӜƷ
I have been in such a place of busy-ness, schedules and decisions of late, yet even in all of the activity it has seemed at times that all was hushed and quiet in my soul.
Some have said “Hey Denise, I miss you!” to which I replied, “Hey, thanks, I kinda miss myself too!” Not having the time available to drop everything and do the things I most love, I have somehow missed the most ‘creative’ parts of my daily routine. So today, in the midst of a busy schedule I have taken time out, just to write this life lesson that has found a place in my heart over the past month. So thanks for your company and allowing me to ‘be’ with you, getting lost in what I love…writing!
Please let me tell you something precious, which hopefully will resonate in your own heart too. Through all of the busyness and activity, I have felt God holding me gently in a place of stillness. I have always loved butterflies, and lately I have found myself captured by one butterfly quote after another. They are all gathered together in my journal as I speak (or type) ~ but it is more than the beauty of a butterfly that has captured my imagination these days, it is the cocoon: the process of stillness, change, darkness, waiting, pondering, and patience.
I can only say that in these nights of deep thinking, processing and change, I am seeking to learn the art of the still life. So what does the word still mean?
STILL: Not moving or making a sound, deep silence and calm. Remaining tranquil, placid, and without action – To be free from disturbance, agitation, commotion or panic – To be stilled by one in control, to be made at ease, hushed and comforted. To sense the ease of solitude, lack of hustle and bustle, or to be overcome with a profound hush. ~ ƸӜƷ
Some would say it sounds easy, relaxing, blissful, and such a beautiful endeavour. The activist in us would say otherwise, finding it hard to relinquish control over a desired outcome or process. I have learned that to ‘be still and know’ is not always an easy option, but nonetheless it is the best practice for a true believer.
So back to my cocoon, or the lessons thereof : Do you think the caterpillar knows it will suddenly emerge from this dark, lonely place of confinement, as a stunning winged creature of amazing beauty? Does it realise that in the dark, everything it ever knew or experienced to date, is about to be utterly transformed into a vibrant, new existence where it will know flight and freedom like never before?
The following quote encapsulates this thought perfectly:
“I always wondered, when a butterfly leaves the safety of its cocoon, does it realize how beautiful it has become? Or does it still just see itself as a caterpillar?” ― (The Air I Breathe) ~ ƸӜƷ
Does a butterfly, one day catch a glimpse of a stunning reflection as it flutters above a calm lake and only then realise the magnitude of this change? There is nobody in the cocoon to talk it through the changing process, and how true that can be for us too.
There are many who have studied the intricate transformation of a caterpillar into the elegance and profound delicate beauty of a butterfly, but for one moment, let’s consider our own still life transformations…do you desire a breakthrough of your own? Do you hunger for an experience that takes you on an adventure that is wonderful and beyond your wildest dreams? Well, maybe like me you do. So, why not let it happen? Take the time to be still, to contemplate a metamorphosis of phenomenal proportions. There are wings waiting for you to use, there are dreams waiting for you to chase, and there’s an adventure with your name written all over it! Nobody can create the atmosphere for change for you, no matter how much they wish they could. The only person you can change is yourself, and many have tried and failed miserably. I cannot set you free, nor can I do more than invite you to take the time to be still, and dream of flying. The following words describe beautifully the courage and strength necessary in finding one’s wings:
“As a child, he’d found a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. He’d tried to help it by prying open the husk to set the insect free. It had lain in the sun, beating its wings as they dried, but had never flown and soon it died. His grandmother explained the butterfly needed to go through the difficulty of freeing itself in order to have the strength to fly.”
― Laura Bacchi, Butterfly Unpinned ~ ƸӜƷ
I never want it to be said of you or I, “They never flew!”… I want to live my days in courageous colour, displaying all of the wonderful qualities my Maker has bestowed in me. I want to find the strength to fly and leave no room for regrets.
My new mission statement these days is:
“I have a little brown cocoon of an idea that may possibly expand into a magnificent butterfly of fulfillment…” ―L.M. Montgomery ~ ƸӜƷ
There is a time for stillness, but then comes the time for flight where we say, “Goodbye Cocoon, I’m going UP!” …the sky awaits.
Denise Kennedy❀ 