On a crisp bright morning a sweet family of ladybugs met the sunrise with joy in their hearts as they brought along their little-one to the clover fields for the first time.

Mother and Father ladybug were new parents and looking forward to showing Cocci their family’s favorite place to harvest dew.

Cocci was thrilled and felt like such a BIG ladybug! She couldn’t wait to finally explore the sea of clovers. ʺNow Cocci, remember to stay close to us and only walk on the tops of the clovers, ʺ her parents reminded her.

Cocci did her best to recall all the rules for the clover field, but her excitement and curiosity overwhelmed her senses as she bounded from one clover to the next.

As Cocci’s Mom and Dad enjoyed their morning harvest, the crystal clarity of a most radiant dew drop caught the morning’s sunrise and affixed Cocci’s gaze.
 
The more she leaned toward the glistening drop of water the less she remembered that her wings weren’t yet ready to fly. As they lay safely nestled just under her polka-dotted shell, Cocci leaned in further. Still mesmerized, Cocci reached out. The sunlight breaching through the dew was like the sparkle of an entire galaxy densely packed into one drop. So, she forgot the rules. She didn’t know just how slippery wet clover leaves could be. She was too close to this magic to turn back now. Her eyes widened and her breath danced.
 
Suddenly, and unexpectedly, she slipped! She felt herself moving through the air. The sensation of falling free ignited her instinct to fly. No matter how much her wings wished to spread though, they simply weren’t ready.

Instead of a comfortable canopy of leafy steppingstones, Cocci found herself in the dark underbelly of what now looked like a deep forest of clover-like trees. She called out for her parents, ʺMommy! Daddy! ʺ, but no answer.

It was so dark for her. She walked back to try to remember from which way she came. Only to stand in a swirling mix of dark and green as her fear began to rise further than could her voice.

Now, Cocci’s breath was dancing in anxiety instead of fantasy. She began to panic, which was a very new feeling for her.

She wanted to cry out again, but her throat clenched as her tears filled her eyes. Her blurred vision only made her surroundings more unfamiliar. She had never felt so alone. The only thing that felt right was to walk, so she did.

Then, from a distance, she heard her parents calling to her. They were so close. She mustered the strength to speak again and out belted her cry for rescue.

Her parents gathered her up, of course, in the gentlest fashion. She felt warmth and relief, yet something had changed. The very inner sparkle that drew her to the clover’s edge dimmed that day. She couldn’t understand why she changed, but she did.

Once back up top the canopy, the embrace of her parents opened a well-spring of deeper emotion that she didn’t realize she had still stuck in her belly. She held her Momma and Poppa tightly and they held her tighter. After her family consoled her, they finished gathering Cocci’s morning drink and went home.
 
Seasons passed and Cocci was so much bigger now. And by that time her friends and neighbors knew her story. They knew that she had an experience that changed her. It changed her so much that, even though she was born a ladybug, she refused to fly.

Cocci grew up walking everywhere. This made her different. Different from all the other ladybugs. Even other kinds of bugs knew that it was odd that she didn’t do what a ladybug was born to do. Her choice not to fly DID make it harder for her to explore new areas of her world, but she convinced herself that she wasn’t meant to fly. ʺMy wings didn’t work then why would they work ever? ʺ she thought to herself. So, she kept walking and walking… and walking.

She had the bulkiest legs any ladybug ever had. Other bugs would stare, but no amount of pressure or rumors stopped her from being who she thought was her own nature. Her parents, although sad at the thought of her never knowing what it is to fly high in the air, adored Cocci and supported her.

Cocci’s parents accepted her choice while trusting that her limitations would be challenged when she was ready. Warmly, they’d smile at their daughter and encourage her to ignore the comments of others and to persist in healing her time in the shadows.

ʺRemember Cocci, others only mind in you what they have not accepted about themselves. They can only love others as deeply as they have loved themselves so, don’t leave it up to them to love you. You must love yourself in every way. Especially by tending to what’s hurt in you first before feeling pressured to fly. ʺ

Cocci felt so accepted. She didn’t need to fly. She loved the way things were. She thought this as she happily strolled along her path. She was in such a good mood that she didn’t notice she took a right instead of left.

The sun was bright and so was her smile. Her smile was so big there was not room for open eyes. Every day she did her best to feel whole. There was a trot in her step and a melody in her hum that delighted even the biggest of bugs. Cocci was comfortable in who she seemed to be. “There is no need for me to change.,” she thought. “I am enough,” she said aloud. And, though Cocci was enough and loved just for who she was, Life called out to her to experience more.

That’s when, suddenly, there was a stone in her path she was not used to. She opened her eyes to realize she was back at the field of clovers!

She felt so overcome that even the trees seemed to hold their breath. She noticed the beginnings of panic, but Cocci didn’t have time to lose herself in her emotions again because she heard someone yelling which startled her out of fear.
Across and over the edge of the field was a cliff. A cliff that Cocci was not aware of because she never went that far. Once again, Cocci heard a call for help. On a branch near what Buggie’s Creek was, --though it would seem to be only a trickle of water to you or me--there were two caterpillars calling for help.

They were yelling and pointing below them. Down on the ground lying on what would be a very small stone to humans, was a young caterpillar. This caterpillar was trapped on that stone as the stone was planted squarely in the creek.

Not knowing how to swim, the young caterpillar was trapped and scared. No one was helping him! His cries got louder as his friends continued to call for help.

Then, without a second thought, Cocci ran as fast as she could toward the cries. She ran so fast and cared so much that she didn’t notice the ground disappearing below her! She was so focused on following her heart that before she knew it, she was air-born!

COCCI WAS FLYING!

As she neared the cliff her shell instinctively unlocked, and her wings unfolded. Stretching and widening they were finally swaying in the wind as though they’d always had. Cocci was sky-born for some time before she realized what was happening. She couldn’t believe how effortless it was. She never expected it to be the best thing that’s ever happened to her!

She was so happy that it took another moment to remember what had inspired her to fly in the first place!

After coming back to presence, Cocci swooped down toward the struggling bug gaining better control over her newfound flying skills.

The young caterpillar’s fear turned into awe as Cocci swooped down toward him. Though Cocci had a full crowd of onlookers, she was confident now in all that she really was. So, with what only Cocci was equipped to do, she wrapped her legs around the young butterfly larva and gently embraced him with her six graceful, ultra-strong legs.

She flew, carrying him safely back to the branch where the other two caterpillars were waiting in suspense and gratitude. They thanked Cocci repeatedly, giving her many hugs and lots of love. As Cocci said goodbye she turned back toward her own neighborhood.

Unknown to her, there was a crowd waiting to celebrate her return as word traveled fast. They applauded Cocci on for her great feat. This applause though wasn’t just about saving that caterpillar’s life; it was also because Cocci faced her greatest fear in doing so.

(Cut out? Her life brought her an experience that broke through her deepest limitation to change her story.)

Cocci came back from the clover field again and she was changed once more. Only this time, she was restored and renewed with a belief in herself that no one could touch.

Just as her wings were now free to fly, Cocci was free to love and be loved in a way better and brighter than before. As she returned again to the safety and gentle embrace of her parents so too returned with an even brighter sparkle, she thought she had lost so long ago.