A View of Life: Caterpillar vs. Butterfly

The way that you view your life has a corresponding impact on how you react to life. Your attitude will also be affected by the way you view and react to life. It is easy to look at life in a negative light when things are not going well, likewise with the reverse. However, it takes a real talent to look at life in a positive way when things are not going well. Especially, when the negative things seem to be piling up and up and up!

I have been able to see the positive in negative situations. It does take a good amount of effort to do so. Overall, I know that God is usually doing something with me, in the areas I can't control. I try to see the lesson needed to learn or how I am being shaped or who I am able to impact.

This week's quote was a unique approach to viewing life and your situations. Read it and see what you see in it...

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly. ~
Richard Bach

I've been guilty of thinking that a situation is the end point. However, it could be just a stage to get to an end point. As insects develop, specifically, the butterfly, there are stages it must go through to get to that point.

• Caterpillar stage - where we may have to crawl on our bellies and going through life slowly, only seeing things from the ground level (unless we climb up to something).
• Cocoon stage - where we must wait until the time is right, enduring anything that may come our way (weather, predators, accidental squashings, etc.)
• Butterfly stage - where we get to fly to infinite places and heights, seeing how all the work and waiting was worth it.

Using the butterfly development to illustrate our reaction to life, there will be times in our life that stages may overlap one another. You may be in a cocoon stage in one situation, but are in a caterpillar stage in a totally different area.

Regardless of what stage you are in, understand that though you may be wanting to be at the butterfly stage, you may actually be in one of the other stages. Wait for the time when you get to fly to new heights!

Take time to enjoy whatever stage you are in...there are lessons in each stage!

Appreciating the stages...