“Someday, I will be a beautiful butterfly, and then everything will be better.”
It is the 20th of November. It is a special day. As I watch my baby girl blow her candles, my heart soars with pride. My baby is no more. She has transitioned from a teenager into adulthood – like a caterpillar, she has metamorphosed into a beautiful butterfly.
“Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.”
A caterpillar wraps itself in its silky cocoon, awaiting the long transformation from chrysalis to butterfly. Similarly, my baby has gone through several stages in life, maturing into a beautiful young adult. Long gone are the mood swings, hoodies, and awkward shyness. Long gone are the monologues and erratic behaviour.
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” – Maya Angelou
There is no job more important than being a parent, and as your child grows, parenting gets even harder. I had no clue how she was going to turn out. Still, I lived in hope. As I watch her evolve from a gawky teen into a compassionate person, I am filled with joy mixed with a smattering of fear. For soon enough, she will discover she has wings and will want to fly further away.
I tell myself I will be okay. I hope. I have done a good job teaching her valuable life lessons so I should not let myself be consumed by sadness. She is expected to journey alone, to experience trials and challenges. Sure, she will want to create a new life for herself and undoubtedly, she will go through successes as well as setbacks. And when she falls, I will be there to catch her.
“And then God created the butterfly to remind us that change is a beautiful thing.”
Fortunately, the process of finding her feet will take a while. Like a recently hatched butterfly which tests its wings, she, too, will hesitantly learn to trust her own instinct. There will be time for her to blossom, responsibilities to handle. Not only will she find success but will also experience failures and heart aches. As I have learned with butterflies, the more you chase them, the more they evade you, but if you stand still, they will surreptitiously land on you.
As I watch her embarking on her new journey, I hope she does not collapse under the weight of adulthood. May she always remember that a storm today makes a brighter tomorrow. I wish I could take away her pain but in time she will learn nothing is achieved in vain. She will grow more empathetic and open-minded. And when she makes mistakes, I hope she learns from her experiences.
“Perhaps the butterfly is proof that you can go through a great deal of darkness yet become something beautiful.”
So, what lesson can you learn from a butterfly? Life comes with all its challenges. A butterfly represents change – a spiritual rebirth. Let go of any darkness and fill your being with peace, love, and hope. You too will become aware of your consciousness and will wait impatiently for the right moment to fly.
Learning to Rediscover Yourself 
Jackie, I like your phrase: ” I hope she doesn’t collapse under the weight of adulthood. Very meaningful. I wonder if we could perhaps extend that idea to suggest that those with mental issues, the drug-takers,the alcoholics and the homeless are people who did collapse under the weight of adulthood.
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Good point. Thank you. And this year has certainly been difficult to all.
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