Become the Butterfly

It’s been said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” Please understand, I’m not against planning and organization, they keep us focused. Consider this though, how’s our willingness to change so we can improve, grow, and strive to become our highest and greatest self? Joseph Campbell provided some sound guidance about this. “We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is awaiting us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one is to come.

    Just imagine if a caterpillar decided, “All I wish to do is eat” never allowing the metamorphosis to take place. I wonder if the caterpillar even knows of its destiny to change before its urge to spin and encapsulate itself in a cocoon, shed its old skin, and expend all its energy to transform into the magnificent splendor of a butterfly? Or is it merely willing to go with the flow, relinquish its own plans, and move on to its unknown destiny?
Storytellers, authors, even history share incredible accounts of how the hero enters as an average “Joe” or “Jane.” They then face an insurmountable challenge which often demands changes in life, attitude, and environment. The changes usually cost them everything, including their life as they know, to pursue this quest. Despite hardships, our hero moves on, driven to complete the challenge. We listen, read, or watch intently as the story unfolds. The hero or heroine continues on, despite challenge after challenge.
Further hardships encumber their journey, but they are tenacious. We even may ask, as their story unfolds, why… why don’t they just quit? As we become even more engrossed in the story, we wonder, what keeps them going? Given, some know and see their goal, yet others, like the caterpillar, do not. Some of these familiar stories include tantalizing opportunities for a return to the safety and security of their ordinary past life, one far less complicated life than their present circumstances. After all… wouldn’t that be easier? Though we’re just following the story, we even get frustrated, wishing to jump right into the account screaming “Just quit!”. But they don’t quit, something urges them, drives them on as though their very existence demands they continue their quest.
The hero keeps going, keeps shedding their figurative skin of old ways and habits in pursuit of their new life. When they reach the goal, we applaud their success, shed tears of joy, and cheer for their victory.
Our own reality returns.
We wish we could be like that person. We sigh, wipe away the tears, shrug our shoulders, and return to the familiar, a life we know, a life of safety. Our events are safe, known, with no surprises waiting around shadowed corners. Some, however, recognize they have the same “stuff.” All they need to do is embrace a willingness to change. Shed their old skin, pursue their own magnificent life, and achieve the perceived impossible.
Life is full of opportunities. Sometimes we, like the caterpillar, incubate as the changes evolve. Similar to embryos, we grow into maturity, to become the hero of our own story. As the hero, tantalizing opportunities may emerge tempting us to stray from our quest, though they are really just tests. All we need to do is continue our journey. Don’t run from the coming challenge, embrace it! Believe and accept our true destiny. Then the inner beauty of true self will emerge. But death to our old ways must take place.
We are so much more than the shell that is our body. The process of death and resurrection is demonstrated throughout nature, only “death” isn’t dead. Death’s a transformation, a metamorphosis, that must take place to allow the beauty within to come forth. The caterpillar doesn’t hold on to its cocoon, it casts it aside because the old skin has no value, no purpose, in the new vibrant and beautiful life. So, as we enter into the transformative changed life offered to us, don’t hang on to the things that no longer contribute to our metamorphosis. Lay them aside, emerge from your cocoon, and enjoy your flight as the butterfly.

We are as butterflies waiting to shed the old and emerge into the magnificent splendor of our true nature and destiny… a spiritual being enjoying the nectar of each flower during our human experience.