“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” Maya Angelou’s words are poignant, as change is our future.
Recently I spotted a caterpillar with its fashion-worthy spots lining a growing tummy being towed with 6 hands/feet and clinging to a slender stalk of parsley on my deck. I discovered that caterpillars have two kinds of “legs.” The “true” ones near the head are 6 segmented legs with claws, like hands and feet combined. Secondary “prolegs” (about 8) are extra insect-mover appendages that bump along from a midsection. The change from a dull round egg to colorful caterpillar (larva) stage is stunning! Even more amazing is the transformation of covered-up chrysalis (pupa) overcoat to flash into butterfly adulthood!
Watching the labor of this butterfly-in-the-making reminded me of Eric Carle’s picture book (The Very Hungry Caterpillar) which has spots on my book’s cover, a bit worse for the wear from my toddler children years ago. To my surprise, I later discovered 4 more caterpillars picnicking in parsley. All 5 caterpillars were devouring my curly parsley, so I turned to my flat leaf parsley for my own munching. The caterpillar tribe is finishing off their food supply. I wonder how the delicate littlest one will survive to labor onward.
We celebrate Labor Day today to pay tribute to U.S. workers and their important contributions to all of us. How often do we overlook the multitude of hands/feet that it takes to put food on our tables and to juggle a myriad of other necessary jobs for our wellbeing? Are we paying workers enough for their survival? What changes are needed in our workforce?
The U.S. Senate passed a resolution in 2022 naming September as Workforce Development Month. For 2023, a focus word was chosen – “seamless,” as in creating recruitment/training/employment opportunities in a seamless manner for those looking for work. Innovation grants in New York and Pennsylvania are encouraging local organizations to form coordinated training opportunities for new immigrants.
It often takes many changes for people to find meaningful employment. A suggested way to streamline a successful ready-to-work process is through offering apprenticeships. In Germany students from 9th grade onward are offered apprenticeships to prepare them for productive careers.
An apprenticeship approach fosters more than skill development. It has the potential to teach life-skills such as time management and goal-directed persistence. Chicago-based parenting support center New Moms, for moms 24 years-old or younger, delivers workforce development with candle-making at Bright Endeavors (see Pearls of Peace blogpost, “Birds, Bees, and Babies”).
Consider these worker statistics:
- 65% of employees in the U.S. are satisfied with their job.
- However, only 20% of employees in the U.S. are passionate about their job.
Clearly, we could use some invigorating workplace changes and more passionate employees.
Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz
217. What is your most invigorating job in your work history?
218. How might you contribute to Workforce Development this month?
Pearls of Peace: A Family Psychologist’s Circle-of-Life Blog 