Egg Shells and such

I am moved by by Sara Grove's song "Like A Skin." BUY CD

The butterfly can just look back
Flap those wings and say Oh, yeah
I never have to be a worm again

The process of wiggling or pecking out a shell can be slow and exhausting. The struggle to get out of the shell can all but kill you too. But those that succeed are all the stronger because of the struggle. And like the song goes you "never have to be a worm again" or an egg of any kind.

And yet...

On PBS last night, I saw a baby monitor lizard trying to climb back into its shell to protect itself from a very hungry and much bigger lizard. Interesting to me is that the little lizard thought it would be safe in there. Maybe it didn't know the big lizard eats eggs too. Perhaps he wouldn't see the the lizard zeroing in on his egg shell and that would be comfort enough. Then, it would be over before he even knew it.

To hide when in danger is such a natural reaction, but surviving danger and learning from it that is what adds the richness and wisdom to our life. That is what enables us to face bigger and craftier lizards in the future. Like struggling to get out the shell it can at times be equally hard to not squirm back to the shell. It can be hard not to want to be a worm again.

So I am wiggling, trying to free my wings to fly with freedom and hoping I won't long for the silence and supposed safety of being a worm or someone bound inside of an egg.