Metamorphosis of Hope – Inside and Out
/Metamorphosis of Hope – Inside and Out
01, May 2022
The Blue Morpho Butterfly is a glorious spectacle due to the wondrous hues and patterns of its wings. I wonder what lessons we can learn from this beauty? Roger and I took our precious granddaughters to the Fort Worth Botanical Center to their Butterfly Exhibit. We were astonished about what we saw after the brown butterfly landed on our granddaughter’s finger. The gorgeous butterfly, with all of its detailed, fascinating markings in shades of brown were visible with its wings closed. The butterfly gently opened its wings. What we giddily discovered was its wings were an amazing, vibrant, breathtaking blue as you can see below in the image on the right.
Photo taken at Fort Worth Botanical Center, Fort Worth, Texas.
The butterfly made me wonder…what armor or camouflage do I try to use to protect my fragile heart? What vibrancy is the color of my soul when I am courageous enough to sparkle and shine to be the woman I am created to be?
Of course, I would like to think of myself as always having been a very authentic, Velveteen Rabbit “real,” open, sincere and genuine person. And I think in many ways I am congruent on the inside and outside. However, letting go of putting on the mask of perfectionism, being open to sharing my struggles, and being intentional to the daily practice of courage and vulnerability continue to be a growing edge for me.
One of Dr. Brené Brown’s greatest gifts is putting language to difficult concepts. I treasure her definition of authenticity:
“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.
Choosing authenticity means
cultivating the courage to be imperfect, to set boundaries, and to allow ourselves to be vulnerable;
exercising the compassion that comes from knowing that we are all made of strength and struggle; and
nurturing the connection and sense of belonging that can only happen when we believe we are strong enough.
Authenticity demands wholehearted living and loving – even when it’s hard, even when we’re wrestling with the shame and fear of not being good enough, and especially when the joy is so intense that we’re afraid to let ourselves feel it.
Mindfully practicing authenticity during our most soul-searching struggles is how we invite grace, joy and gratitude into our lives.”
The beauty of the butterfly and the beauty of authenticity have a few things in common. It seems to me that the metamorphosis of hope for the world is vibrant. It also seems to me that the hope for the world begins with the hope in each of our hearts. When we can live most fully alive – in line with our values, being our most authentic selves – then we are most likely to contribute to the world in a way that gives the world a collective sustenance and a heartbeat of hope. May the metamorphosis of hope be cultivated in each of our hearts.
Inspired by our visit to the Botanical Center, Roger wrote this poem, which I’m pleased to share with you:
Butterfly Questions
by Roger C. Jones
O Butterfly,
From humble egg to caterpillar to pupa to brilliant butterfly–
The parts of your journey all so different
Did you stress over who you
were and what you were destined to be?
Did you ever feel smug and content with
your station, resisting forthcoming changes?
Or, did you wish at times in the pilgrimage
that you were different than who you were?
Did you practice letting go of who you thought you
were supposed to be and embrace who you are?*
Did you embrace each and every waking hour–
you know, the Carpe Diem thing?
Did your green caterpillar-self get bored at munching
leaf after leaf, day after day?
No rush on your answers, O Butterfly. Time for me to
fix lunch.
*Dr. Brene´ Brown’s definition of authenticity.
There are so many thoughts and questions to consider in cultivating authenticity and hope. I am grateful for you being on this journey with me. May we look each day this month to discover how we are opening up to allowing our deepest self, our true nature, our spectacular soul, to sparkle and shine and spill out into the world.
You may follow me on Facebook or Instagram for daily encouragement and reflective questions – and this month, images of butterflies that I have photographed, often while Roger and I were hiking. If you are not on social media, you may go to my website, www.diannemorrisjones, and find the photography and the reflections under A Gift for You.
May we join in the metamorphosis of hope through our intentions and our presence in bringing together both our inner and our outer worlds. May we create space and time that we can explore the depths of our hearts. May we discover the richness and the beauty of who we are and how we can be loving and compassionate to ourselves and others.
