Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis                                                                                    

Definition; a transformation. A process in which somebody or something changes completely into something different.

The caterpillar hatched from its egg, a creature so small in a world so big, filled with hopes and dreams and wonder. It looked up at the vast blue sky stretching over the horizon and said “What a beautiful world this is! Someday, I’m going to be there, feeling the breeze and touching the clouds!”

The bumblebees overheard the caterpillar and stopped in the middle of their hard work carrying honey to their hive. The crickets which were playing their music went silent to stare at the little caterpillar. The bright red ladybug sporting black polka-dots stopped too, in its tracks when it heard the caterpillar. And all of a sudden, the insects gathered around and laughed. They laughed and laughed and they laughed at the poor little caterpillar.

“Look who’s talking! A fat little caterpillar like you, in the sky? Don’t be ridiculous!” a cricket sneered.

“What a joke! A short ugly creature like you can never fly hahaha!” laughed the ladybird.

“You don’t even have wings, how could you expect to fly? Quit all this useless daydreaming of yours and do something useful for once.” scolded the bees.

Every day and everywhere the caterpillar went, the insects would laugh and mock the poor little creature, but it never once gave up. But even the strongest of all things would break under all the pressure.

The poor little caterpillar, once so hopeful, now has its head hung low as it wept for its shattered dreams. As if on cue, dark clouds formed in the blue sky, matching the caterpillar’s mood and raindrops began falling one after another. Fleeing for shelter, the poor little caterpillar caught a glimpse of its own reflection in a fallen raindrop. As it stopped to stare at its own image, it began to believe that what the other insects had said might be true. Maybe they’re right, I am ugly. Maybe I am useless. Who am I to dream of touching the sky? I’m nothing but a little caterpillar.

Caught up in the shadows of its own insecurity, the caterpillar hid in a corner of a tree branch, embarrassed and ashamed of itself. Isolation and loneliness became its constant companion. The insults that were thrown at the caterpillar were like rocks thrown at glass, echoing in its mind like a broken record, as the caterpillar broke down into pieces, feeling so small in a big, world that was so cruel.

Afraid and hurt, it began to build walls. Surrounding itself, wall after wall it built to protect itself from getting hurt and soon, the caterpillar was locked up in its own fortress. But a fortress in itself is also a prison.

Alone in the darkness of its own shell, the caterpillar wept till it could cry no more. All by itself in the silence, it began to think. The haunting voices of the other insects were still loud in its mind. Ugly little creature. Useless. You can never do anything good in your life. Oh, stop dreaming. But suddenly, a voice spoke, so softly the caterpillar almost didn’t hear it. A familiar little voice, a voice the caterpillar recognized almost immediately. It said, “What a beautiful world this is! Someday, I’m going to be there, feeling the breeze and touching the clouds!”

It was then, something amazing happened. The caterpillar picked up the broken pieces of what it used to be, and built itself back together. It wasn’t easy at first, but then again, good things never did come easy. For in the time spent inside the walls of its cocoon, the caterpillar had learned a few important things. First, was acceptance. To accept yourself for who you really are, and to love yourself no matter what others say. The next thing it learned was; to never give up on your dreams. Third; listen to your own voice within you, and trust yourself, for you would know yourself better than anyone else. Last but not least, the caterpillar learned that maybe sometimes in life, we break down so that we could rebuild ourselves to be stronger.

The change occurred when the caterpillar learned to accept itself despite all its flaws. It learned to love itself and once again hope was restored in its empty heart. The caterpillar began believing in itself, that it has what it takes to make its dreams come true. The light that was once flickering dim within the caterpillar began to burn brighter and brighter until finally, the walls of its cocoon were taken down. When the caterpillar finally emerged from the cocoon, it was a caterpillar no longer, for out came…. a beautiful butterfly.

 The butterfly spread its wings. The little creature that was once broken, was now stronger and of course, happier. With the hope it once harbored ever since it hatched from a miniscule egg, the butterfly took off into the sky, every beat of its wings fueled by the strong willpower that wants to see its dreams become a reality. Left behind was a place it used to know, its old friends staring in awe at the beautiful colors on its wings which were painting rainbows in the sky. Never have they thought that the ugly little creature that they used to pick on would someday be soaring in the skies. And yet there it was, the butterfly, feeling the breeze and touching the clouds, in the vast blue sky. A creature so small, in a world so big….ready to explore.