Many years ago my mother told me a story about a child walking along a woodland path.  This sweet child came upon a butterfly struggling to break free of its cocoon.  The youngster was fascinated and stopped to watch the insect.  The emerging butterfly seemed to be in a life and death battle to free itself from the silken shell that had concealed the metamorphosis from caterpillar to winged beauty.  Concern overcame the child and so she made the decision to help this creature free itself…but much to the dismay of the young girl the very act of helping had sealed the fate of the butterfly.  You see, it is the struggle that gives the insect the strength to fly.  The butterfly was unwittingly killed with kindness. Continue reading →