The Butterfly That Can Not Fly

In a beautiful garden, a man found a cocoon of a butterfly. It has a small opening in it. Very eager, the man sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then, it seemed to stop making any progress for although it appeared as if it had gotten so far as it could, it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly using a pair of scissors by snipping the remaining bit off of the cocoon. The man saw as expected the butterfly emerged easily from the cocoon but to his dismay, the butterfly it had a swollen body and small shriveled wings. Moreover, the wings never enlarged and expanded to be able to support the body. From then on, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around and never was it able to fly.

The man in the story did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight, once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

I can still remember the recognition days I attended during my elementary days and especially my graduation ceremony several years ago. It was a day of joy and thanksgiving especially to my mentors.  It was a ceremony that I thought would guarantee me to fly after struggling in school to move out for my cocoon called life but I was wrong. I still have to learn more outside school to face the struggles awaiting me at that time. I and my family struggled financially while others were questioning my family’s decision after graduation. But if without those obstacles and criticisms, I could not have the courage and inspiration to study well and compensate for all the mishaps that have happened.

Moreover, looking back of the past few years. It has never been easy. Although I had a stable job, I was exhausted. I worked almost 12 hours a day, seven days a week. I was not forced to do so, but I did it wholeheartedly to support my family and myself, and to do what I love in work. There were times that I thought I would go nowhere, fearing everything will be put to waste. I just continued, as if something better and greater will happen at the end. Fortunately, everything paid off. Life presented me with a lot of challenges, but surprises, as well. Not expecting life has prepared something for me that will change everything positively.

Life has a way to prepare us for something better, like a butterfly in its cocoon. We just have to go through it. Life is never easy. Everyone must struggle before being able to achieve something. What we should understand that life is a process and there are no shortcuts to things. The more we think of making ways to avoid hardships, the more it becomes more difficult, more than what we have expected. We just have to remain optimistic and be happy of our journey towards our destination. Let us focus on the lessons we had and use it to achieve more, like a butterfly flying higher and farther.