The Caterpillar's Flight

From Laura’s bio, “Laura Lester Fournier - Author, Motivational Speaker, Minister…Laura Lester Fournier is the internationally known author of a series of spoken word CD's. She has just released her fifth project, "The Caterpillar's Flight." Her book, CD's, and message are making their way around the world and spreading a transformational tone of peace, forgiveness, unconditional love, and grace.”

Since the top of my blog states that I’m sharing some of my religious views I need to make the disclaimer that Laura and I are not of the same faith. There are principles and concepts she teaches in her book that I have heard several times in Sunday School classes. However, other views of hers would not be taught at my church. By making that statement I am in no way trying to discount or diminish her words or beliefs. I am merely stating that in some aspects they differ from my own. I think that is okay, and I’m sure from what I have gleaned from her book that she’s okay with it too.

The chapters of her book are titled:
The Journey
Peace
Forgiveness
True Love
Grace
The Butterfly Effect
and finally, Parting Thoughts

The book is a culmination of life lessons learned spanning several decades. She teaches of the interconnectedness we share, i.e. as I find peace, forgiveness, true love, and grace, not only does it bless my life but it blesses yours as well. Conversely, the love you feel in your life not only blesses you, but me too. We are connected, we are one. Accordingly, the best thing that I can do for future generations is to live my life in such a way that my children will be receivers of my good attributes which can have a transformational effect on society around us.

Though the goal is for world peace and harmony it doesn’t begin on a macro scale. Rather it begins on the micro scale by my learning how to find peace and forgiveness in my heart that I can then send out to the universe.

Laura graciously shares with the reader the times in her life where she was sexually abused early on in life. She shares stories of being bullied at school for years. These life experiences had a profound impact on her life. Her environment tried to cruelly place labels on her, “You’re fat, you’re ugly, you’re worthless, etc.” She shows how she overcame these horrific experiences to find the peace and forgiveness she desperately needed in her own life.

One of my favorite stories in the book talks of how she was being bullied by a group of girls at a new school she had just been moved to. During this ordeal a girl knocked her to the ground and then challenged her to get back up and hit her. Laura’s response was, “but why would I want to?” We do not have to send out hate to others even when we receive it. We do not need to become slaves to the labels others want to pin on us. We can exercise our agency to rise above. We can send out love for hate or fear. We can send out forgiveness to others, which not only benefits those we forgive but perhaps more importantly, helps free us from the need to carry such heavy burdens weighing us down.

In chapter six Laura states,

Despite the fact that the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, it still has its caterpillar essence within. It could not be a butterfly, if it had not been a caterpillar.

Each day, one way or another – we find our wings. We must continue to remind ourselves that no matter what has happened in our lives, we can aspire to great heights. When we look upon our challenges as opportunities to evolve, then we honor our experiences in the way God intended. It is a choice to either live our lives battered and flattened by pain, or heal and use these situations as a platform from which to dive into the wonder-filled possibilities.

You can go here if you’d like to purchase a copy of The Caterpillar’s Flight.