Hope in a time of crisis
A little backstory, and please forgive me if I seem to ramble - I live in the middle of a large northern city and have no yard, not even a small patch of grass. I do, however, have a deck that I use to plant herbs, flowers and veggies in pots. I take care to select plants that help our pollinators and I grow organically.
Last year, I chose to grow dill alongside my cucumbers so that I could try my hand at making pickles. I soon noticed a couple of tiny caterpillars, looked them up and discovered that they were Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly larvae. Cool, I thought! I’ve never seen one of those butterflies in the city! Then, the wasps carried them away and that was that, I thought.
A month later, though, there were two more of them. I took them inside and cared for them until they emerged as butterflies – one male, one female – and set them free. I was completely awestruck, as this city girl had never witnessed this phenomenon before, and welled up with tears.
This year, I asked the 6 year old if he wanted to raise caterpillars again (silly question). The dill came back on its own, in a completely different pot across the deck than the one it had been planted in originally. (I’m pretty sure this is why it’s called “dillweed”!) Early this summer, a caterpillar appeared which we took in, a female it turns out. We said goodbye with a mixture of joy and awe as she flew off.
Word must have gotten around, though, because the next thing I knew we had 8 new caterpillars. Female Eastern Black Swallowtails only lay one egg at a time, so I don’t know how many may have visited my plants. I also have literally never seen one of these butterflies in my neighborhood except the ones that I’ve raised and only as they're flying away from me. Then 5 additional caterpillars appeared but I lost these to the wasps before I could bring them in. Butterflies are known as an indicator species, because they quickly respond to even subtle changes in their environment. That I have so many now means something is going right!
This morning, after a miserable evening of trying to avoid the news about NK and possible nuclear war, I woke to find that 5 of my 8 butterflies had emerged from their cocoons and were ready to be set free.
I share this story, while simple and maybe a bit pedestrian, because I was reminded this morning that in this time of crisis – when I am so terrified, angry, and sad – that there is still beauty, and hope, and the possibility for transformation in the world. In other words, “there’s a crack in the sidewalk where a flower grows.”
Please don’t give up, fellow DUers. We have a lot of work to do and we must keep fighting.
[img]
[/img]
[img]
[/img]
= new reply since forum marked as read
I think we all could use a little hope, right now. 
And thank you so much for the compliment, Sprink! It's the kindest thing I've heard in a long time.
That's always the question, isn't it?
Both the hawk (I'm sure) and the way you write.
We all do deserve kindness and a chance to become what we were meant to be.
so many good lessons in all of this, from care of the earth and its creatures, to hope, to having a little garden even in a tiny space, to the circle of life, to making pickles....you rock, Teapot! The butterflies are also thanking you in the best way..by thriving and increasing in number and flying back to you generation after generation!
Truth be told, though, I'm much better at butterflies than pickles! That was one experiment I did not repeat.
Just speaking for myself, I think this story has been overblown.
It does help, doesn't it? So I wanted to share it with other people who might be feeling grim, as well.
And welcome to DU (from another newish poster)!
Priceless and so needed
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Thanks for doing your part to help save yet one more species from extinction!
I've wanted chickens for years; they seem so fun. And, yes, we all need a little break from the nastiness that's been descending like storm clouds lately. Any non-human creature seems to help (except spiders - 
).
thank you for taking such good care of these beautiful creatures!
Truly these are such frighteningly threatening times. When I was a kid, I was (as I should have been) unaware of the political threats of the late 50's and 60's
Now, I know all too well of the destruction we are fighting every day.
But...
Your post was most welcome and touched that part of my heart that can still hope
Thank-you!!
I'm glad to hear this post helped in some way.
Two more emerged and flew away this morning. Now I'm just waiting for the last little straggler.