The Opening

I merged NVivo projects turning two-fold into one,
Then grouped two sets of folders – funny thing, when I was done,
I saw a way appear which I’d not seen in it before;
As data merged an opening appeared like open door.

I’d heard about “the butterfly” in data-sets before;
How all was quiet, dark, and moist, but if we wait some more,
Like crystals when a catalyst is dropped into the mix,
At tipping point, a change in state presents a different pix.

And there it is, all beautiful, emerging from the slime;
It draws its life from what once was, new beauty quite sublime;
Our problem is we cannot wait – “I’ll manage what is mine”–
And wreck the little butterfly – we don’t allow it time.

We think the line is straight which doubles on itself again;
For two, to four, to eight, is small – so little for our pain;
But if we will in stillness wait, we’ll see in dawning light,
Emergence of a butterfly, then all will know we’re right.

Sometimes we’re carried through that point by accident, despair;
Sometimes we’re out of sustenance – not even fumes, just air;
Sometimes were out of energy, so tired we cannot budge;
Sometimes were just too dumb to know a way to wreck the sludge.

However we get through that time, and leave it all alone,
We find relief arrives at last – it leaves its tiny home,
It crawls out in the light of day, and dries its tiny wings;
And we’re swept up in awe of it, delight within begins.

Once wings are dry it flies away, its work has just begun;
A doorway from a chrysalis is just the start of fun;
Before we could not see a way, for all around was slime,
But then we reached the tipping point, and everything was fine.

That’s how God makes a baby, let’s us reproduce the race;
That’s how we do our projects, just proceed at a steady pace,
Until a crisis-point is reached – an upward curve must come,
The change of state apparent is as horizontal’s done.

So question is quite different from the one we like to ask;
“It doubles – right?” Is better as we move on from our past;
So many times we miss the mark; want tit-for-tat to see –
We want the line diagonal, so we’ll not let things be.

Life works – just clear away debris so butterfly can grow;
Wait through the stillness of the dawn, and trust that it will show
Itself to be what you foresaw – that there will come a point,
Where opening emerges as a way to leave this joint.

There’s lots of time for messing ’round; for working hard and such;
But just recall the chrysalis and tipping point – don’t touch
Things when they need the time to grow – rest, let the process work;
You’ll be surprised and pleased indeed – if not, you’ll be a jerk.

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