When do we get to the butterfly part?

I’ve been going through some big changes. Internally, externally.

And there was a caterpillar in my house the other day. They’ve been all over lately and I was thinking that for a bug, they’re not bad looking. All fuzzy and the way they move is kind of cute.

And no one’s going to say a butterfly is ugly. I mean, if you are, well, you’re just making a scene.

I’m not a huge butterfly fanatic, but they are gorgeous.

So the beginning and end is pretty okay stuff.

But I’ve seen several cocoons lately too. And they’re not so attractive.

My first thought, “Maybe’s a spider sack! Gross!”

And I started wondering if the caterpillar knows he’s going to end up a butterfly at the end of that process. Probably not, he’s just going through his day and can’t fight the inexplicable desire to spin a house, right? He’s just doing his best to get from Plan A to Plan B.

And then, can you imagine what must be going on inside there? I mean for the fuzzy worm to turn into this:

That is probably not a pretty process.

Ick.

So, I’m thinking I’m in my cocoon right now. I’m in the midst of my changes. Not so attractive. Hard. Taking me places I’m not sure I wanted to go. Making me grow and stretch in ways I’m not sure about.

But like the whole caterpillar to butterfly thing, it couldn’t happen without the cocoon part. That fuzzy worm would not eventually fly without the massive (icky) changes it goes through inside that slightly creepy looking sack.

So in terms of outcome, the cocoon part is amazing. Necessary. Required. And yes, in its own way, even beautiful.

And as I write this from the inside of my cocoon, in the midst of my metamorphosis, it is amazing.

And I’ve got hope for some colorful wings at the end.

 

*For science buffs, the photos are not linked to the species of butterfly. Just photos that worked for this post.