Spreading Your Wings....

You're looking at a Painted Lady.

Really, you are....

My class and I just finished raising 30 Painted Lady caterpillars through the various stages of the life cycle of a butterfly... from baby caterpillar, to chrysalis, to butterfly... My class and I anticipate this unit from the first day of 1st grade and we patiently wait almost two years for the big moment. Last Friday, ya-ya N came on up to school and took some amazing shots of our 'big release'! Each kiddo had their 'own' butterfly which they had lovingly nurtured since day one. We gathered around our library's garden, and I gently took a butterfly from the butterfly 'cage', placed it in my kiddo's hand and they whispered a wish to their butterfly... then... they gently opened their hands and this is a resulting photo. Some chose to immediately fly away...others chose to sit, such as this one.... and let us admire it's awesome beauty before lofting up to the sky. It's always a cherished moment when we do this... and I'm always amazed each time I teach this unit as to how this chubby, black, slow-paced caterpillar takes a nap and emerges totally transformed! In every way!

It's hard not to get ketchy here and toss a bunch of metaphors around about how people go through similar transformations, spreading their 'wings' and taking off!! It's hard not to do that. Partly because I see it happening in those around me. Take my cutiebug friend, Simplicity Wins. Over the last year, she has transformed, changed, emerged into a spirit that is more centered, content, focused. I can not ignore Miss S, whose path over the last 2 years has gifted her with such a beautiful emergence of spirit AND body!! (fly and sassy, I tell ya!) Our other gal pal, Miss D, walks a new path with humor, charm and love... and she is an absolute beauty, inside and out, as she moves!

These are but a few... for when you ponder it, do we not all go through some sort of change? Some type of transformation? Have you? Think about it...
What transformation, whether it be grand or small, loud or subtle...have you gone through lately?

Yes... it is hard not to make the comparison... so maybe it's meant to be made.

... fly ladies, FLY !