A Butterfly's Lesson

One day, a small opening appeared on a cocoon. A man sat and watched for the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.

Then it seemed to stop making any progress.  It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could not go any further.

So, the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and opened the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, but it had a withered body, and it was tiny with shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch because he expected that at any moment, the wings would open, enlarge, expand and become firm so as to be able to support the butterfly's body.

None of these happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a withered body and shriveled wings. It was never able to fly!

What the man (in his kindness and goodwill) did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes, struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we went through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could be.

I asked for strength, and I was given difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom, and I was given problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity, and I was given a brain and a body to do work.
I asked for courage, and I was given obstacles to overcome.
I asked for love, and I was given troubled people to help.
I asked for favors, and I was given opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted, but I received everything I needed.

Live life without fear, confront all obstacles with determination and believe that you can overcome them.

Author Unknown