A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home to watch the moth hatch. On that day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the moth struggle for several hours to force its body through the tiny hole. Then the moth stopped as if it had gotten as far as it could and could go no further.
The man in his kindness decided to help, so he took a pair of small scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of cocoon. The moth emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the moth expecting, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to help support its body. Neither happened and the little moth spent the rest of its short life crawling around with a distended body and withered wings, never able to fly.
The man in his kindness and haste did not understand that struggling to get out of the cocoon was the only way to force fluid from the body into the moth’s wings. Final development and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, the man deprived the moth of life.
You may have heard this parable before; it's an important one that serves as a useful reminder in my roles as a parent and healthcare provider. The fix-it mentality and desire to make others happy, comfortable and stress-free all the time is infeasible and often counter-productive. Naturally, I want to help others feel better, but never at the expense of long-term growth.
Pain and struggle exist to stimulate a change. If you're stuck in such a state, or when you inevitably face your next big challenge, try to keep this perspective. Trying to avoid or escape the problem, or seeking a magic bullet only hinders progress. Trust that persevering through constricting adversity will squeeze out of you a new iteration of yourself. The evolutionary outcome is often unexpected, but always a manifestation of growth; which is exactly what we're here to do.
Comments or questions about the message above, don't hesitate to email me directly. Ready to face your health struggles head-on with a consciousness to positive growth? Give us a call at 403-455-0880 to schedule your appointment. Or, try out our Online Booking system.
