Growing up, my dad told me a story about a man hiking in the woods who came across a large cocoon. Intrigued and excited, the man took it back to his house, placing it on his mantle, in hopes of watching a beautiful butterfly hatch before his eyes.
Weeks went by and finally some movement occurred. Pieces of the cocoon started to give way and shift as the butterfly began to emerge. After a while, there came a point where the butterfly was struggling to get out. In a hurry, the man went and grabbed tools to help free the butterfly. He pried with a hammer and pulled back parts of the cocoon, piece by piece, until the butterfly was free. But the butterfly didn’t lift out of it’s cocoon with ease. It fell with a thud to the ground, flapping it’s wings weakly. The man was astonished. The butterfly was free of it’s cocoon, but with weak wings, it was unable to fly.
The moral of the story is that through our struggles and trials, that is how we become strong. It’s not something that anyone else can give to us. If we dream to fly, we must build our wings on our own. Strength and endurance is cultivated in the fires of the dark days of our lives.
When we let the tough times make us strong, then we can fly. So, no matter what season you are in now, no matter how rough or bleak, let yourself become stronger with each new trial.
Don’t give up. Stand strong. You can do this.
