PRACTICE: what was your first thought when you saw the word cocoon(ing)?
If you are like me, I had a vision of the ugly caterpillar, who stops eating, climbs into a tree, hangs itself upside down from a twig or leaf, spins a silky robe around itself (cocoon), rest for some days and emerges as a beautiful butterfly or moth. That was my vision. In reality, inside the cocoon the caterpillar is literally born again. From the outside looking in, one would think that the cocoon is a simple resting place. While in the cocoon, the body of the caterpillar digest itself from the inside out. The old body dies, and a new body is formed inside the cocoon. If anything interrupts the process, everything is lost – no caterpillar and no butterfly.
In order to go from crawling on its belly to taking flight to soar to a life beyond what it has been able to see, the caterpillar must observe a period of social distancing/isolation.
Does any of this sound familiar considering our current state? It should! I find the concept of cocooning more appealing that self-isolation, social distancing, or self-imposed quarantine. I find comfort in the thought that my home is a silky cocoon that I have been spinning for years. I find comfort in expecting that as I am enclosed in the comfort of this cocoon, I have the time for introspection and may discover aspects of my life that I need to declare dead. I expect to have time to think about forgiveness and forgiving. I expect to be shown places where I can be moved to be more compassionate and loving.
The ugly caterpillar accepts what is going to happen as a necessary but temporary stage. It is not permanent. This too will pass. I would like to think that there is excitement and anticipation as it thinks about emerging beautiful, agile and able to soar to highs unknown before.
I believe if we are able to embrace our current state of cocooning, we too will be reborn on the other side more beautiful, more resilient, more agile and able to soar and live beyond what we are able see or imagine.
Psalm 91:11 - For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
PONDER THIS THOUGHT – “A season of loneliness and isolation is when a caterpillar gets its wings.” Mandy Hale
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