What makes you strong? I've always said that my parents had much wisdom. They instilled in us the wonders of life's vicissitudes. Growing up can sometimes be a struggle yet my parents always encouraged us to seek the high ground and to think about that rainbow. In tough times, they always reminded us that those struggles we experienced would make us stronger. Becoming strong and being strong is arduous work. The maintenance of this feat is tremendous. So how is it done? You know....one day at a time! Here is a story, from an unknown author, that will make you think a bit more on the topic of strength. Perhaps you’ve heard this one. Enjoy!
“Once upon a time, a man found a butterfly that was starting to hatch from its cocoon. He sat down and watched the butterfly for hours as it struggled to force itself through a tiny hole. Then, it suddenly stopped making progress and looked like it was stuck. As a result, the man decided to help the butterfly out of its temporary home. The man took a pair of scissors and cut off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, but with a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man thought nothing of it, and sat there waiting for the wings to enlarge to support the butterfly. That never happened. The butterfly spent the rest of its life unable to fly, crawling around with small wings and a swollen body. Despite the man’s kind heart, he didn’t realize that it was necessary for the cocoon to be a restricting place because the butterfly needed to struggle to get itself loose through the small hole. That struggle forced fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings which prepped the butterfly for flying once it was free."
No matter what the circumstance, we draw the strength to get through tough times if we just keep at it. Thank you for being the heroes you are during this tough time. People need the strong you!
Georgene Connelly
MASWA President
