I Give You, Metamorphosis
It all started with the question,
Does the caterpillar realize that it is the one that will eventually turn into a butterfly?
I don’t even remember if I was ever a caterpillar, let alone a butterfly, so I wouldn’t be able to say for sure either way. I have no evidence to support this absurd theory, but it’s possible that I was, a previous incarnation of myself. It is indeed a case of going after wild geese because other fellow caterpillars don’t remember themselves, a.k.a friends.
Nonetheless, the process intrigues me for I see life experiences revolving around the same circle.
Now, don’t tell me whether the egg came first or the caterpillar. Here I am starting out with being a caterpillar, a repulsive and disgusting tiny creature for most people. If you are a caterpillar lover, don’t take it by heart for I am trying to play around with a metaphor and our target is metamorphosis; you remember the topic right. Cool, let us move ahead then.
Caterpillars are voracious eaters. They just keep on munching or say nibble, nibble, and nibble. The process goes on for quite some time.
For a puny little human, the crawlers that we were once; our process is the same. Get anything on the hand, and off it goes to the mouth. Whether it was earth, a piece of paper, a spoon, hey, whatever you get your hands on; was the stuff for the mouth. It didn’t matter what it was. Well, it lasted quite some time. Whatever we wanted to experience was through the way of mouth. Then came the first phase of discomfort.
The hungry little caterpillar eventually outgrew its skin and had to shed it in order to continue growing into a much larger, and in some ways bulkier and more unsightly, form. Oh no, I can’t believe I just repeated myself; please bear with me. It had to go through this process numerous times, and each time it had to shed skin that was even tougher.
When you break one comfort zone, the next one is even tough to break.
The moment we realized what we could and could not consume marked the beginning of our transition from one source of comfort to another. Whether it was from reading books or observing the world around us, we gained a significant amount of knowledge as we got older. However, despite the valuable lessons that were being imparted to us by our past experiences, we moved on without realizing it. We did extend our comfort zones more than once, but when one is accustomed to a certain level of routine, they become less noticeable. There will come a moment when one’s comfort zone will become so large that one will no longer be able to identify its limits. How much longer is it possible to persist in repeating the same thing over and over again?
I had it enough, no more munching, munching, nibble, nibble; was the thought popped into the head of the bulkiest caterpillar.
It then transitioned into the stage of becoming a pupa and began to create its cocoon. No more eating now, let me see the things within myself.
Even in the course of human life, there comes a point when one must admit that they have had enough of themselves. How long should I spend consuming all the information that is available to the public, and what information will slake my thirst? If you are unable to break the circle, believe me when I say that it will eventually break you if you are unable to do so. When one notices the pattern, it is then time to break the circle. Getting out of this never-ending cycle is a challenge that every single person faces. It is almost impossible to observe a person’s emotional state when they are going through a traumatic event such as the end of a relationship, problems with trust within the family or in any business, the death of a loved one, or the failure of an idea that they believed would free them from their suffering. If you were to ponder about the suffering by yourself, it would feel quite genuine.
The pain experienced by the caterpillar when it sheds its skin is very genuine. To be in seclusion within the confines of the cocoon is no less than meditation. Growth of hands, legs, and wings, though it seems exhilarating for us to watch; isn’t it painful for the little creature? Is the significance of the pain diminished if it is someone else rather than you who experiences the unfortunate event?
It takes quite a toll on the little creature to come out of the cocoon.
And your expectation of things falling into place, that too doing nothing is the thing that makes no sense at all.
Do take a look around yourself, a lot of metamorphoses are taking place; a miracle is set in motion. Our problem has been, we take things for granted. When things start to go wrong, we have the sensation of being swept away by a tsunami at the same time. This thing continues for a prolonged period of time for most of us.
metamorphosis: (in an insect or amphibian) the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages.
Every single one of us got our start as senseless crawlers in the beginning. Have progressed from one level of ease to the next with each new discovery, and have eventually found themselves in the middle of a larger comfort zone. We focused so much on others that we lost contact with ourselves, or, to put it another way, we moved away from being who we are. Have we ever stopped to consider how vast life really is? Is there even such a thing as a genuine self? Did the caterpillar have any idea that it would eventually turn into a butterfly?
We need to enclose ourselves in a cocoon in order to discover who we truly are. Metamorphosis won’t take place in any of us until we take the plunge and commit to discovering who we are.
A catalyst for change may come from the outside, but the individual themselves should be their primary focus. There will not be a fire even if you try to start one by dropping some kerosene on the floor and then lighting a match somewhere else. I guess you understood my point.
It was a difficult journey for the caterpillar, and it will not be an easy journey for you either. If you look closely, I mean really closely, you’ll notice that the stages of your life are virtually identical to those of a simple caterpillar. Feel the hardship that the caterpillar goes through at each stage, and do your best to compare it to where you are now. Where do you discover that you are?
And when you actually feel the essence of the stage of the caterpillar to becoming a beautiful butterfly, crawlers to flyers, land to the sky; then my friend, you’d realize your own unique identity. This is your,
METAMORPHOSIS
I wish every one of you, the best in your transformation. I pray that you unearth the strength to face any challenges life throws at you.
Best wishes for the NEW YEAR as well.
FOOTNOTE
And if you want to read more of my random thoughts you can check:
Perspectives 360⁰
Awaiting For A Savior
Passion Hunt, Haunted
Supplementary Vibes, or?
Attention Span
If want to know me more, do check out all my writing which can be found here:
Everything I had ever written on medium.com
