AS A LITTLE GIRL I ALWAYS thought that a butterfly was just a caterpillar with wings. That she had eaten herself all fat and lazy … crawled inside her chrysalis … hung out in there for a while, all warm and cozy … grown some wings … and emerged as a beautiful butterfly.
I was so wrong!
What I discovered more recently was this: When a caterpillar is inside the chrysalis, its entire body actually dissolves into a soup-like substance. If you were to cut one open (which I’m not recommending you do) a lot of liquid would fall out. But gradually, as the process continues, all of the cells reform to become the body, limbs and wings of a butterfly.
Isn’t that amazing? The butterfly is actually an entirely new creation!
I was thinking about this the other day. I mean, it can’t be very pleasant – getting completely dissolved into liquid. But, then, it’s totally worth it! I mean, a caterpillar can only crawl around and eat – its life is completely contained and boring. But a butterfly? Well a butterfly is a gorgeous creature – graceful and elegant. She has a certain presence about her … and when she graces you with that presence, it takes your breath away.
She has wings!
She can fly!
Next time things are tough and I feel like I might be dissolving into that ‘soup-like substance’… I’m going to focus on those wings.
