The Caterpillar Who Refused to Be a Butterfly: A Transformation Story

Many of us refuse to change and prefer to stay in our cocoon.

This short fiction transformation story tells the tale of a caterpillar that refused to be a butterfly. It speaks of transformation and not accepting it.

The truth is change is difficult and so we resist it trying to hold on to the past and be who we no longer are.

That keeps you stuck in a cocoon which is essentially your comfort zone.

Your comfort zone may feel all nice and cosy but it is in fact your danger zone.

“Yes, your transformation will be hard. Yes, you will feel frightened, messed up, and knocked down. Yes, you’ll want to stop. Yes, it’s the best work you’ll ever do.” Robin Sharma

The hairy caterpillar who hated change

Some years ago, a small hairy caterpillar was born on the grounds of the Abbotsford Convent in Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia.

One afternoon whilst perched high on a branch of one of the many trees of the convent grounds it witnessed a momentous and life-changing event.

A fellow caterpillar had transformed into a butterfly.

The small bag that had been hanging upside down on a branch of a magnolia tree began to move and shake until a brown butterfly emerged and flew high above the convent grounds.

The small hairy caterpillar sat there observing what had just happened.

It couldn’t help but think with much sadness that its time was coming.

It too would emerge a butterfly and leave the safety of its cocoon and the convent grounds.

The thought made it deeply sad as it loved it here and didn’t want to leave.

This was its home.

In fact, it had even gotten used to the strange and curious big creatures (children on the grounds of the convent) who would often come up and touch it.

Metamorphosis — From Caterpillar to Butterfly

A few days later day the hairy caterpillar fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

When it awoke, it felt trapped in a heavy shell that didn’t allow it to move.

What was happening?

Something strange had grown on its back. Huge white wings appeared and its shell broke.

The caterpillar was no longer a caterpillar, it was a white butterfly.

But the caterpillar didn’t want to be a butterfly.

As far as it was concerned it was a caterpillar!

The white butterfly crawled down the tree using its little legs, even though it now had wings.

It carried the weight of those white wings, a weight that consumed its strength.

Refusing to be a butterfly and continuing to live as a caterpillar.

But its wings didn’t allow it to move with as much ease as before.

Given Wings to Fly

The caterpillar who refused to be a butterfly soon became tired of having to carry the weight of its wings.

It returned to the branch where the transformation had occurred.

This time, trying to climb the tree, became an impossible feat.

Its wings couldn’t let it.

In pure desperation, it let out a cry.

Upon hearing its cry, a wise brown butterfly of the convent grounds approached it and perched itself on a shrub.

The wise brown butterfly said:

“Why are you crying?”

“Why are you trying to climb the branch when you can fly?”

“You were given wings to fly”

“Use them or lose them.”

At this, the wise brown butterfly flew away.

Destined to Fly

The white butterfly watched and reflected deeply on the brown butterfly’s words.

At that moment, it came to the realization that it had to stop being a caterpillar and start being a butterfly.

This was its destiny!

It was no longer a caterpillar.

It was a butterfly, like it or not!

The white butterfly now opened its wings wider and wider, morphing into the butterfly that it was.

Soon it realized it was flying and was moving towards one of the windows of the convent buildings.

It felt good, even exhilarating.

Flying was so much easier than dragging its legs, but it still had a long way to go to perfect its technique.

Fulfilling its Divine Destiny

Over time, the white butterfly became an expert in flying.

It would fly long distances — all over the convent grounds into the Collingwood Children’s Farm and even into the gardens of suburban homes.

Children had a hard time keeping up. Every time they tried to touch it or catch it, it would just fly off.

Something it could never do as a caterpillar.

It was designed to fly and be a butterfly.

It was fulfilling its divine destiny.

From now on it never looked back to being a caterpillar.

The End

The Lesson/s of the story

This short tale of transformation is a reminder for us all to:

• fulfill our divine destiny as we each have something, a project if you like, or assignment that is fingerprint unique to us.
• not fear change no matter how uncomfortable and learn to let go of the past and metamorphosis into the best version of ourselves.
• daily work at being the best version of ourselves. Just be 1% better!
• remember life is all about change and resisting it is futile as life will enforce it upon you without your consent.

Just know we are butterflies in the making as human life involves constant transformation and overall renewal.

The longer you live the more transformation you will undergo.

It may not be the biological wonder of the butterfly growing wings and flying but it's still a human wonder.

So remember to embrace transformation so you can metamorphose into the best version of yourself and leave your comfort zone behind.

With the New Year just around the corner, it's the perfect time to be letting go of the old and welcome in the new.

To Creating a Better You,

Sandra D

P.S. Check out WORD EMPIRE, my business dedicated to helping you build your online empire with epic content, marketing, and branding.