Yesterday I had some down time from the craziness we call life. I decided to head to one of my favorite local parks. I pull in. I pop open my trunk and grab my fishing rods and tackle box. The park has this beautiful pond right in the middle with a quarter-mile walking track around it. It comes stocked with some cool fish species like large mouth bass, channel catfish, and carp. I love going there because it is always a peaceful, fun experience.
I sat down on the bank and cast out my line. While taking in the scenery, a little butterfly lands on the ground next to me. It was a cute one too. It was Compton tortoiseshell butterfly. I took a closer look at it and noticed its wing tip missing. It looked like it was torn off.
At first, I felt pity for the little guy (or gal). It must have gotten into a fight or hunted. It fluttered its tiny wings and took off. It landed a few feet away on the other side of me. Even though a broken wing, it still managed to function and look beautiful.
It got me thinking about how people view themselves. After experiencing trauma or being put down, we sometimes see ourselves as broken. That is correct….to an extent. A piece of us is broken. However, there is so much of us that is still intact. We have our strengths, support, loved ones, personality, and so much more. Those remaining parts pull together. In doing so, we can still reach our full potential and look beautiful in the process.
-The Caring Counselor