Stag Beetle Pondering

We love a stag beetle!

These incredible little creatures spend most of their lives underground, only coming up to surface for a few weeks to mate and reproduce.

The big and beautiful antlers on these tiny beetles are a crucial part of their costume for fighting off rivals and impressing mates.

It is important for people to be big and strong too.

For children who were removed from their families of origin, being strong is not a choice as they had to find ways to survive the trauma of separation and displacement. For those who have experienced neglect, and worse, they arrive with new families wearing armour as big and impressive as the stag beetle’s.

Strong can look and feel many different ways.

Those who care for these amazing children know how difficult it is for them to admit to weakness and trust others to do some of the heavy lifting. It takes time, and bucket loads of love and patience for a child to begin to trust that it’s safe enough for them to rest their tired muscles.

So, this week we want to celebrate the stag beatles among us, and the people who love them!