Last week, I shared about my family’s efforts in Searching for Monarch Eggs. This is a nature study activity that we’ve participated in for years as a family. Really, it’s more like one of the joys of summertime! Next is watching monarch caterpillars grow.

All six monarch eggs have hatched and I even have a seventh now! It just came in on a leaf I collected for the baby catties to eat. I cannot believe how fast these little critters grow, practically doubling in size every day.

Watching Monarch Caterpillars Grow

I am anticipating the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly. How does a tiny striped caterpillar grow into a gorgeous, winged creature?

It makes me think of parenting. I remember looking at my toddlers and wishing I could see what they would look like or sound like as adults. Now that I have two young adult children, I can look back at who they were as young children and see the path clearly. But that is in retrospect! I couldn’t see it from the other end.

And that’s how transformation is: we may have an inner vision of what might be, but so much is unknown, so much is vague and unclear. And we just have to have faith that all is well, and all will be well.

“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.”
~Richard Buckminster Fuller

Then comes time to say, “Good-bye Butterfly.”