Imagine getting a butterfly to go where you want it to go, to fly directly from point A to point B, as is in your plan. Impossible? Well, perhaps so.
The beauty of the butterfly is hard to see and appreciate, so rare does the butterfly settle long enough for us to fix our gaze.
Yet, if we are still, patient, observant, a butterfly will light on a nearby leaf. When we are very still, a butterfly will occasionally come to rest on us. Seems like a miracle when that happens.
But, it isn’t really a miracle (except from the perspective that everything is a miracle!).
There is a method whereby the butterfly will allow us the privilege of seeing its beauty. Our job is to be patient, still, watchful. Ours is to allow the butterfly, in its own time, when it feels safe, to come to us.
It is interesting that we often speak about anxiety as “butterflies in our stomach”, as anxious thoughts that have become physical knots, tension, churning that seems as uncontrollable as butterflies in flight.
What if, as is the case with butterflies, each concern over which we are feeling anxiety is truly a beautiful gift that we haven’t yet prepared ourselves to perceive, let alone receive? For a moment, let’s go back to butterfly watching. The free, unencumbered being has gone fleeting past your line of vision. You stop, filled with joyful anticipation as you await your chance to see the wings of this airy creature, its color, pattern, unique beauty.
In this moment, every part of you goes in unison to “butterfly watching mode” as you become very still, eyes focused on the one, the butterfly which has come to be gift in your day.
Now return to the usual practice of watching the butterflies in the stomach. If you are like many, you have just jumped from peace and calm to hurry, worry, and overwhelm.
Trying to control the uncontrollable, thoughts are racing as the mind moves from one “butterfly” to the next, trying to discern not only the next step, but “every” step that must be completed in order to get rid of the “problem butterfly”. Likely you didn’t notice any beauty, any value hidden in the situation.
Imagine approaching life’s stomach butterflies knowing in your heart and soul that every challenge along life’s journey is meant to be a beautiful blessing! Imagine the joyful anticipation of the hidden gift while you wait patiently, peacefully, and travel with, rather than do battle with, the “stomach butterfly”!
“I don’t think so!” you scream. The current “butterfly” is the unanticipated expense of a new car, the loss of a job, or the diagnosis of cancer in a loved one. How do we not only co-exist peacefully but even anticipate gifts resulting from such events?
For some, faith and trusting in God, is sufficient. Others, like doubting Thomas, need proof. And proof is available in many forms, not the least of which is the “gratitude journal”. This daily reconnection with life’s blessings, large and small, gently forces us to direct our thoughts and emotions toward the gifts, the miracles that grace our path each day. Perhaps a young adult opened your car door at the grocery store.
May be your teenage son not only remembered but acknowledged your birthday with flowers. Or while waiting for your friend at the doctor’s office you read about the perfect job opportunity in the paper. The journal not only reminds us of the gifts, but affords us the space in our day to be with and to cherish each one.
While writing, we align our emotional being with blessings that would have gone unnoticed during our habitual fight with worry and fear, those butterflies in our stomach.
As the gratitude journal becomes routine, we begin to see the resolution of challenges. We notice how the birthday flowers were but the beginning of long awaited maturity and our child is now a responsible young adult. The job opportunity was a stepping stone into a successful home-based business.
Over time, gratitude as a habit makes its way into the heart of life’s problems and even in their midst we find peace. We now trust that good will result.
Life is a journey, with many perceived challenges along the way. We can spend our energy attempting to tame those stomach butterflies. Or, we can be patient and observant as we recall with gratitude past blessings and anticipate the gift of the current experience that will be revealed when we are ready to receive.
Yet, if we are still, patient, observant, a butterfly will light on a nearby leaf. When we are very still, a butterfly will occasionally come to rest on us. Seems like a miracle when that happens.
But, it isn’t really a miracle (except from the perspective that everything is a miracle!).
It is interesting that we often speak about anxiety as “butterflies in our stomach”, as anxious thoughts that have become physical knots, tension, churning that seems as uncontrollable as butterflies in flight.
What if, as is the case with butterflies, each concern over which we are feeling anxiety is truly a beautiful gift that we haven’t yet prepared ourselves to perceive, let alone receive? For a moment, let’s go back to butterfly watching. The free, unencumbered being has gone fleeting past your line of vision. You stop, filled with joyful anticipation as you await your chance to see the wings of this airy creature, its color, pattern, unique beauty.
In this moment, every part of you goes in unison to “butterfly watching mode” as you become very still, eyes focused on the one, the butterfly which has come to be gift in your day.
Now return to the usual practice of watching the butterflies in the stomach. If you are like many, you have just jumped from peace and calm to hurry, worry, and overwhelm.
Imagine approaching life’s stomach butterflies knowing in your heart and soul that every challenge along life’s journey is meant to be a beautiful blessing! Imagine the joyful anticipation of the hidden gift while you wait patiently, peacefully, and travel with, rather than do battle with, the “stomach butterfly”!
“I don’t think so!” you scream. The current “butterfly” is the unanticipated expense of a new car, the loss of a job, or the diagnosis of cancer in a loved one. How do we not only co-exist peacefully but even anticipate gifts resulting from such events?
For some, faith and trusting in God, is sufficient. Others, like doubting Thomas, need proof. And proof is available in many forms, not the least of which is the “gratitude journal”. This daily reconnection with life’s blessings, large and small, gently forces us to direct our thoughts and emotions toward the gifts, the miracles that grace our path each day. Perhaps a young adult opened your car door at the grocery store.
May be your teenage son not only remembered but acknowledged your birthday with flowers. Or while waiting for your friend at the doctor’s office you read about the perfect job opportunity in the paper. The journal not only reminds us of the gifts, but affords us the space in our day to be with and to cherish each one.
While writing, we align our emotional being with blessings that would have gone unnoticed during our habitual fight with worry and fear, those butterflies in our stomach.
As the gratitude journal becomes routine, we begin to see the resolution of challenges. We notice how the birthday flowers were but the beginning of long awaited maturity and our child is now a responsible young adult. The job opportunity was a stepping stone into a successful home-based business.
Over time, gratitude as a habit makes its way into the heart of life’s problems and even in their midst we find peace. We now trust that good will result.
Life is a journey, with many perceived challenges along the way. We can spend our energy attempting to tame those stomach butterflies. Or, we can be patient and observant as we recall with gratitude past blessings and anticipate the gift of the current experience that will be revealed when we are ready to receive.
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