The Hidden Gifts in Struggle by Sylvia Burns

Life wasn’t meant to be easy… yet ‘easy‘ feels so comfortable, doesn’t it?

Can you think of a time you felt truly uplifted and inspired by the story of someone who has overcome great difficulty or a life-changing disability, to recreate a meaningful and fulfilling life?

Over the past nine months, I have had the privilege of spending time in a neurosurgical ward. The walls of the main corridors bear testament to the human spirit with stories of amazing recoveries and rehabilitation. Individuals, young and old, who have made their own hero’s journey against sobering odds. Simply reading their stories is uplifting, touching something within us.

Not all of us are called to face such adversity. Yet even the trials of our everyday interactions can offer keys to transformation.

Take a moment to reflect on a time when moving through real difficulty actually made you stronger. What did that final freedom feel like? How has it changed your life?

Perhaps you can also recall a time when you were keen to solve a problem or embark on a project, only to have someone jump in with the answer or finish the project for you… At school, my Mum finished my knitting and crochet projects for me. I don’t remember why, only that I now regret not learning those crafts

I was working in palliative care when I first read “Struggle of the Emperor Moth”. The story had such an impact on me professionally and as a parent. Although its origins are unclear, the moral of the story is timeless.

Briefly: A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth and took it home so he could watch the moth emerge. The opening the moth needed to move through was very small, and he watched its struggle for some hours. The moth seemed stuck and was making little progress. In his kindness, he made small snips to enlarge the opening, and the moth tumbled out easily. But it seemed misshapen with a large body and small wings. He watched the moth for some days, waiting for its beautiful wings to open. It crawled around for days and died without ever being able to fly.

In his eagerness to help, the man didn’t understand that the struggle to move through the small opening would force fluid from the moth’s body to its wings so it could fly once free of the cocoon.

Reflect for a moment on the wisdom this story holds for you personally.

Just as for the moth, freedom and the wings to fly come to us through life’s struggles. How can we recognise and embrace opportunities for growth change brings us?

For me, heightened awareness from a regular spiritual practice helps me trust this process, to let go and open my wings.

The wisdom within us knows there is meaning and purpose within life’s struggles.

Want to reconnect with your inner wisdom and embrace life with clarity and confidence?  Explore Develop a Daily Practice

Perhaps life can be easier after all!

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