college visit

photo from: lillebarn: designs for baby and you, on etsy

There comes a time when the living beings that pupate in a cocoon must escape from it, and they can do this either by cutting a way out, by secreting fluids that soften the cocoon, escaping through built-in lines of weakness, or leaving via an exit hole that allows a one-way passage out. (Wikipedia)

our cocoon so carefully placed into our arms many years ago is beginning to show fissures and cracks

if signs of weakness had appeared earlier, concern would have enveloped us like thick fog

we would have tried to patch the chinks…frantically whispering too soon, little one…you cannot safely leave us yet

but the arrival of the developing passageways, the softening…comes at the right time

bringing with them a joy-sadness for the cocoon keepers that defies description

we have taken good care of our cocoon…we have laid our own silk threads of love and mercy, compassion, joy, humor, patience…

wrapping our everything around our precious cocoon…taking over for the other when wrapping exhausted

getting our strength and direction {we’d never had a cocoon before} from her Creator.

the beautiful escape has begun

and we stand, somewhat bewildered, with a mix of pride and grief

{Life is like a vapor, Lord}

the silk in the cocoon can be unraveled to get silk fiber which makes the silk moth very important...

knowing any silk threads we spin now, will simply hamper her departure

but each silk thread we’ve laid…year after year,

will go with her, undetectable to the naked eye

{as truly fine silk strands are} 

but prized and cherished by those she meets {this we pray}

as she takes to the sky....

and flies