Nothing says Spring like overnight snow.
Happy Spring!
When I think of Spring, I think of chrysalises/cocoons and the butterflies/moths that will emerge from these protective shells—the pupa stage. What I didn’t realize is that the shed skin of a pre-butterfly caterpillar hardens around it to form a chrysalis. But the caterpillar of a moth has to spin silk to make a cocoon to protect itself.
A challenging time like the one we’re facing now is a chrysalis from which we will all emerge at some point. Instead of shed skin or silk, the walls of our home are our borders, since many states have issued a stay-at-home order. Consequently, we’re going through a lot of different emotions: fear, anger, dread, despair—you name it. Many of us have felt the hardening effect of those emotions. I know I have. I’d much rather feel joy or peace. I know you would too.
What’s really helped me in these chrysalis days are texts from friends who write to encourage, share a funny meme, a song, or a Scripture like this:
Psalm 121:1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? [The next verse provides the answer.]
These daily check-ins remind me that I’m not alone, despite the social distancing mandate.
As a result of all that has happened, I mentioned in this post that I’m giving away two crocheted child Yodas like the one below. The winners of those crocheted child Yodas are Shari and Lyn!
Because of the state-mandated lockdown, I contacted the winners ahead of time so that I could get the Yodas in the mail to them before the 5 p.m. stay-at-home order went into effect this past Saturday. I am currently making two more Yodas. If you’d still like a Yoda, please email me or comment below. I will try to get them sent whenever I can.
Photos by L. Marie.
El Space--The Blog of L. Marie 
Yay! I am so excited for this baby Yoda! Thank you, Linda! 😁
Hope it has arrived or will arrive soon! 😀
Definitely going with fear and anxiety here. Boredom sets in a bit too. Stay safe and hope a breakthrough on this mess happens soon.
Totally understandable, Charles. Yes, definitely hoping and praying for a breakthrough!
Linda, thank you for sharing your butterflies, always a sign of HOPE to me. And the Yoda dolls – what can I say: They’re A-DOLL-able!
About Psalm 121:1, One of my favorite Psalms. I wonder if you have heard the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir sing this song, “My Help.” I listen to it at least once a week, usually more because it is so encouraging: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k47xB8eoT5g
Blessings to you, L. Marie! 🙂
Ooo! I copied the link. It’s playing as I type this. Thank you for the link, Marian! Such a great song!
Hope you’re doing well, especially after your cat-minding adventure. 😀
Been listening to this since this morning…thanks for the link, Marian!
Lovely post, L. Marie. Recently I shared a quote on another blog, I hope it’s okay to share here too. “Both faith and fear will sail into your harbor, but only allow faith to drop anchor.” ~ unknown
Congrats to the Yoda winners!
That’s a great quote, Jill! 😀 Worth posting everywhere! It is so true!
I recommend that song Marian suggested in her comment. I’m listening to it now. 😀
The song is beautiful!
It is indeed! 😃
Your thoughts resonate with me. I’m finding that little snippets of Bible verses and proverbs are floating into my brain, at the right moment to give me comfort. Like the one you shared above. Stay safe, be well.
Yay! So glad, Ally! You be safe too! Peace! 🕊️
Love the Yodas!! ❤️ So creative! And this is such a great way to describe what we are going through right now, Linda. I also love that verse. Stay safe and well, my friend!
You too, Sharon! I’m listening to the song Marian suggested in her comment. 🕊️
The Yodas are fun to make! Just something I’m glad to be able to do to help in a small way. 😀
Thank you, L. Marie. This post resonated with me and it gave me a measure of peace just now. I thank you for what is this morning’s gift. That is a verse I often turn to.
We are doing okay in the stay-at-home order. We do take walks down our road or to local preserves, keeping our social distance. Both of us feel a peace in the movement and doing it together. I’m finding that one of use will ask the other to take a walk and know those are the moments anxiety is encroaching upon us.
Be still and know that I am . . .a Psalm I often turn to.
Congrats on the lucky Yoda winners.
So grateful for the peace you are sensing, Penny. And what a great psalm you brought up. We need those nuggets of comfort and truth. 😀
If you can, give a listen to the song Marian suggested in her comment!
Love the analogy of the chrysalis. Through the power of social media being connected to friends and family helps this isolation not to be isolation, if you know what I mean. Together we’ll all get through it.
Very true, Andy! Social media can be a blessing and a curse. I’m glad we can all be connected! 🙌
With phones and the internet the feelings of being isolated aren’t too hard to bear, but I’m still looking forward to being able to pop out to the supermarket without it feeling like an epic hazardous expedition! I hope we can all turn into butterflies again soon… 🙂
Me too, FF!!! I feel guilty going to the supermarket or the Post Office, especially seeing the workers cringing But sometimes, you run out of rice!
Love your honesty and visual connections…I read this earlier this morning and have enjoyed the Psalm/song suggestions – He is our strength!
Stay well, sister.
Thanks, Laura! He is! 😀
Thank you for the Baby Yoda! It’s awesome! And I cringe now that I see snow anywhere due to my accident on the one snowy day all winter in NYC. That’s what happens, though. Car and other accidents on that first snowy day. Take care, and we’ll stay in touch electronically, which is pretty much what anyone living 850 miles apart has to do.
So glad for the arrival! 😀
Be careful out there, Lyn! Yes, please let me know how you’re doing.
My post this morning on the stages of grief, including acceptance, linked to an article from Harvard Business Review with some good tips for dealing with stress, anxiety and fear:
Find balance in the things you’re thinking.
Come into the present.
Let go of what you can’t control.
Stock up on compassion.
Stay well.
I saw that post! We are indeed going through those grief stages!
Thank you for keeping us in the loop, Nancy. 😀
That Yoda is way nicer looking than the real one in real life.
Professor! Nice to see you back here! Hope you’re doing well.
The psalms are a wonderful thing to read at this time. “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” After reading your post, I thought it would be nice to sing a psalm. Here’s what I found online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uihzbujmr1k
That was lovely, Nicki! Very gentle, but powerful. Psalm 68 is such a great song! Thank you for that link!
Thank you for this thoughtful post, Linda. The church I go to doesn’t have any walls, just a ceiling of blue sky (or gray, depending on the day). Hawks fly around, bees buzz, and since it’s spring, color is popping out among the green. That’s where I find my peace and joy. Yesterday I took a walk in my neighborhood and experienced the shear joy of watching a young hawk ride the wind. Sometimes his wings were fully stretched, sometimes he brought them in close to his body as if he was hunting and about to dive. But he just rode the wind waves. I know I have anxiety, but I have to believe that, like you said, we’ll eventually emerge from it. With this virus, though, so widespread and so lingering, Life might not return to whatever normal is for a long time. My heart goes out to everyone who is suffering right now, whether from isolation, financial distress, illness, or the loss of a loved one.
Are you still cleaning the pond, Marie, or are you taking a break in this season? You probably have to, right, because of the stay-at-home decree?
We can still walk in our neighborhood or at certain parks and greenways. Just need to maintain social distance, which isn’t hard for us 😉 I’ve taken a few walks around my neighborhood without my grabber and plastic bags and it was so frustrating because I’d see plastic bottles just lying alongside the road (how did they get there?). Yesterday when I took my lunch break, I took my grabber and gear with me. I do feel more satisfied when I’ve gotten exercise AND cleaned up the environment a bit 😉
On behalf of the environment, thank you!
🙂