Something had to give...
...in my schedule and lately it's been blogging.
I knew I was behind in Mojo Mom blogging but it truly boggled my mind this morning to see that I hadn't posted since August 31. My apologies!
I thought that once school got back into session I'd smoothly pick up and move forward with all my newly restored work time. But I've been faced with a juggle of daily projects versus long-term projects. Always a tension between the two, isn't there? Getting the daily writing done makes one look productive, but sometimes you have to focus on a long-term project or it won't get done. That's where I a have been.
I'll announce my new project soon and I hope to catch up on my writing as well. I have some good pieces developing in my head that I am itching to get down.
But first I have a story that may be helpful to others who are going through change. We have been raising caterpillars over the past several weeks. At first we thought they were monarch caterpillars that we found in abundance last summer. But once they pupated, instead of the green-with-gold-flecked jewel you'd get from a monarch, the chrysalis was an ugly, brown, barklike nugget. In my book I wrote that it's important not to romanticize change. The unexpected homely chrysalis was a good reminder of this for me. Change can be hard work, difficult, scary. But in the end, we can hope that a wonderful new butterfly will come out of it all.
It turns out that our caterpillars are black swallowtails. Here's an amazing time-lapse video of one pupating into a chrysalis. And here is the butterfly that will emerge from the transformation. A beautiful image to focus on!
I can't be the only Mojo Mom who is facing more change than she expected this fall. Let me know if you are, too.
***
An update: I found this video of a monarch caterpillar changing into a chrysalis. You have to see it to believe it. The change comes from the inside as the chrysalis splits the old caterpillar skin open. I had always thought the chrysalis formed from the outside. Very interesting. There were several videos to choose from on YouTube but this was my daughter's favorite.
I knew I was behind in Mojo Mom blogging but it truly boggled my mind this morning to see that I hadn't posted since August 31. My apologies!
I thought that once school got back into session I'd smoothly pick up and move forward with all my newly restored work time. But I've been faced with a juggle of daily projects versus long-term projects. Always a tension between the two, isn't there? Getting the daily writing done makes one look productive, but sometimes you have to focus on a long-term project or it won't get done. That's where I a have been.
I'll announce my new project soon and I hope to catch up on my writing as well. I have some good pieces developing in my head that I am itching to get down.
But first I have a story that may be helpful to others who are going through change. We have been raising caterpillars over the past several weeks. At first we thought they were monarch caterpillars that we found in abundance last summer. But once they pupated, instead of the green-with-gold-flecked jewel you'd get from a monarch, the chrysalis was an ugly, brown, barklike nugget. In my book I wrote that it's important not to romanticize change. The unexpected homely chrysalis was a good reminder of this for me. Change can be hard work, difficult, scary. But in the end, we can hope that a wonderful new butterfly will come out of it all.
It turns out that our caterpillars are black swallowtails. Here's an amazing time-lapse video of one pupating into a chrysalis. And here is the butterfly that will emerge from the transformation. A beautiful image to focus on!
I can't be the only Mojo Mom who is facing more change than she expected this fall. Let me know if you are, too.
***
An update: I found this video of a monarch caterpillar changing into a chrysalis. You have to see it to believe it. The change comes from the inside as the chrysalis splits the old caterpillar skin open. I had always thought the chrysalis formed from the outside. Very interesting. There were several videos to choose from on YouTube but this was my daughter's favorite.
Labels: caterpillar, change, chrysalis, transitions
posted by MojoMom at 9:43 AM
7 Comments:
What a gorgeous butterfly, metamorphasizing Amy! And thanks for the pep talk, which we can all use at this crazy/busy time of year.
I'm getting back on track with writing projects after my "thinking year" -- a year which also included a heavy-duty depression, death of a family member, etc.) It's funny how the cocooning stage does lead to new creativity when you re-emerge in butterfly mode. (I think I've got at least one wing out of the cocoon at this point. Yeah, me!)
Ann
I had been missing your posts but I completely understand. Our school year has not started as smoothly as I was hoping it would. One of my daughters is having a heck of a time dealing with change. It is quite heartbreaking, but I think the beautiful butterfly is a good reminder that once we get through the growing pains, something beautiful can emerge from the other side.
~Carol
Thanks for your thoughts, Ann and CK. It's good to know I still have loyal readers checking out the blog even after I dropped the ball for a few days. :-)
The black swallowtail chrysalis made a big impression on me. It really looked like a dead end, a mistake--not what I had expected, for sure, when I thought it was a monarch. It was such a tangible and vivid reminder that change is not always pretty while you are going through it.
I wish you both the BEST.
Congratulations on your upcoming exciting news. Change can be scary but sometimes that fear/anticipation/uncertainty produces some killer endorphins!
Thanks for the update...I was missing your blog posts!
Erin
www.ExpectingExecutive.com
your post on 'change' couldn't have come at a more appropriate time for me. this fall, i am giving up my current 'dream' job to move my son and husband back to the city we grew up in to be closer to family. motherhood changed everything for me and now i'm willing to take my career down a different path to bring my son closer to his grandparents.
it is not without fear, anguish, and worry that i do this. I worry that I will regret changing jobs. I worry that my husband won't find a job he will be happy with and will be resentful. this was a long thought out process. in the end, we decided we would never regret bringing our son near his grandparents, and the rest is just details...
so i hope there is a beautiful butterfly waiting for us at the end of this season of much change in our lives.
ditto. Soooo having a hard time starting fresh.
Thank you for sharing this, Amy. I've been so caught up in change as it's happening the last few weeks that I haven't taken the time to step back and see the metaphor and meaning in it all.
For me, I'm finally taking the leadership mantle the universe has been trying to pass on to me for years. 2006 was the year of reflection and forgiveness, a time spent mostly in a cocoon. I took steps to change my life in January and due to those steps this month will not only be flying into the world again, but will be doing so publicly as representative for an oppressed and highly controversial population. It will help a lot to see myself as growing the wings the Universe has always meant for me to have.
In gratitude,
April
blessingconspiracy.zaadz.com
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