Playworks sells toys that invite play and enhance early childhood development [fun for all ages]

Tis the season of graduation ceremonies...endings and beginnings, excitement and trepidation. For the caterpillar, it’s the end; for the butterfly, it’s the beginning, one process giving birth to the next. Completion leads to commencement. We celebrate our accomplishments. If we are wise, we acknowledge and express gratitude for the support we received along the way, and go forth, focused on becoming who we are meant to be. New beginnings challenge and reward all who go forward with enthusiasm and determination, and the process of metamorphosis continues.

Our family has been celebrating a dream come true for our beloved daughter-in-law Laura who received a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College on 12 May. With its emphasis on social justice, this degree prepares her well to pursue her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, and that process has begun.

While contemplating the significance of her journey and how the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly seems an apt description, I gained this insight from Trina Paulus, author of Hope for the Flowers, that describes the key to ongoing progress.

"How does one become a butterfly?
You have to want to fly so much that
you're willing to give up being a caterpillar.

There’s a message here for all of us. Change is a constant. We’re continually being called upon to adapt. How we respond to these endings and beginnings molds our lives. We may find ourselves “stuck in a rut” and refuse to budge, or we can embrace the process of becoming who we are meant to be, relishing the journey, valuing our fellow travelers, and celebrating our ongoing metamorphosis. Let’s choose to engage and grow.