It is a common analogy that the butterfly represents our metamorphosis into a beautiful new being. When times are tough there will usually be someone around to encourage you to hang in there, your struggles are turning you into a beautiful butterfly. But what if you are in a dark place and all that butterfly stuff is not even visible on the horizon from you perspective? When darkness seems to overshadow you, and the thought of being something beautiful is unattainable?
Folks I give you the SEASTAR! A seastar doesn’t actually have eyeballs to see, but rather eye spots. The seastar lives on the dark bottom of the ocean floor and its eyespots detect light. The seastar moves toward the light. When darkness overshadows it, it goes on the move again always searching for the light. Resting in the light and when the darkness moves in it slowly slides along in search of the light again.
When darkness seems to overshadow you, I encourage you to continue the fight to JUST KEEP MOVING TOWARD THE LIGHT. Where is that light? It might be in the company of a trusted friend, a smell that makes you feel better, a sound, a song, a sight-something you like to look at. If you practice a particular faith, it might be something you read or practice in that faith. It might be thinking about things you can be grateful for. it might be silence, it might be noise. Although I am SURE that your proverbial “time” will come, some seasons we need to focus on the here and now. Don’t worry about trying to live up to anyone else’s standards or cheering section. (There ARE loved ones cheering for you, by the way!)
Just do your best TODAY to be a seastar. Don’t worry about all that beautiful butterfly stuff! Keep moving toward the light.
