holometabolism

have you ever waited for a monarch to emerge from its chrysalis? i cannot tell you how much patience it takes to wait for it to happen. my next door neighbor had two monarchs as a gift from a dia de los muertos potluck, and i was so excited to be invited to wait and watch with them. the pupation (hate that word) can take only 2 weeks for the monarch; but there can be a dormancy stage as the pupa waits for the appropriate season. metabolic activity slows down until the environmental conditions are just right. its all about timing. it is a complete and whole metamorphosis, but everything has to happen in its time.

we waited and waited for the lepidoptera to find their escape. i thought it would never happen, waiting around with the patience of a 2 year old. one day i found ruth on the ground on her front lawn, and she called me over. it was happening! the monarch was emerging! even then, there was more waiting. the butterfly needs the struggle of emerging to strengthen its wings. the process cannot be forced or helped; it needs the time to develop. when it emerges, even then there is more waiting. the wings need to dry out before it can fly.

i sat with ruth for about 45 minutes. it was truly an amazing process; a patient process. i could have laid there on their lawn all day long. i was in awe of nature's process. ruth waited for quite a while; i had places to go though i was quite envious of the fact that she was privy to this monarch's maiden flight. when the second monarch emerged, i was there for take off. metamorphosis happens everyday but it held me in astonishment. as my 2 year old niece would say, it is "amaaaazing".

waiting is incredibly difficult but the end result of patience is far greater than forcing and manipulating metamorphosis. anticipation only intensifies the experience. and again i say, waiting is incredibly difficult. but the end result is something whole and complete, strong and flight worthy, awe inspiring and beautiful.

oh, and did i say waiting is difficult? (yes, i am feeling a bit childlike today)


photo by ruth airhart