What a Lobster Can Teach Us in Times of Stress

Life certainly has its moments, doesn't it? It can be so wonderful; filled with breath-taking beauty, but it can also be heartbreaking and an intense experience filled with complex emotions. Words cannot express what my family and I have been going through, as I know many of you are also going through your own journeys.

Many religions use the analogy of how the lobster grows, as a parable of sorts, that we may learn how to handle stressful times. Islam is no different. It goes like this; Lobsters are soft-bodied creatures that live inside a rigid, hard shell. The shell cannot expand. As the lobster grows, the shell becomes very tight. This causes great pressure and pain to the lobster. As the lobster becomes more and more uncomfortable, he then seeks out a rock to hide under, casts off the old shell, and begins to grow a new shell that will fit better. This cycle will repeat itself several times throughout the lobster's life. In order to grow, the lobster must first feel this pressure (stress). 

At times I thought I might feel as hopeless as can be, but then I'm quickly picked up by some memory, or some comment that makes me smile. An old pic or journal entry brings back joy from a simpler time. We have to remember that joy has not left us. Without grieving, I would not see things in this life as wonderfully as I do. I would not feel the need to grow, or pursue anything differently. It is in these times of stress that signal we need to grow. With so much that exists around us that can be seen as negative, look to find the positives. Give thanks and praise for all things to God. No complaining. Be grateful and be people of positivity for all the things that are going right.