Don't Just Change... Transform!

Most people that know me know that butterflies are my thing.  I love, Love, LOVE butterflies!   I don’t really know when I started this fascination with them, but I just think they are the most beautiful creatures in the world.  Yes, the entire world.  Extreme, I know, but I tend to be extreme, and I am okay with that.

I love the whole transformation process that butterflies go through.  And that is cheesy!  But, I recently did a brief, unscientific Google study on butterflies and the process that a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly.  I always thought that somehow the slug wraps itself in this cocoon like a pig in a blanket and bam! Like magic, out comes the butterfly!  That’s so wrong, and my sixth grade science teacher would be appalled.

First, only certain types of caterpillars become butterflies.  The destiny for less fortunate caterpillar is to become a moth.  For the record, that’s terrible!  If I were a caterpillar, I’d pray every day to become a butterfly.  Secondly, cocoons are not that all new to caterpillars.  The process of building a cocoon is called moting.  And caterpillars mote at least five times before they actually go into the cocoon stage.  During the moting process, caterpillars develop this really hard outer core layer of skin, and like snakes, they eventually shed it.  They have to keep moving for it to come off completely.  Once our caterpillar friends get the moting thing down, it’s time for the big time—the cocoon.

Who knows really how the cocoon process works?  Does the caterpillar build it, etc?  Too much research for this blog post, but please research and respond.  Anyway, despite how he gets in the cocoon, what happens inside is not a mystery.  The wings are developed!  The most beautiful, unique part of this animal is developed in a dark, lonely, and otherwise crappy place.  Once fully developed, the butterfly spreads its wings and the cocoon falls off.  Amazing!

So many of us made resolutions and promises to ourselves to be better and do better in 2012.  And with one month gone, I’d urge you to take a lesson from our butterfly friends, don’t just change- transform.  Know that it won’t be a pretty process.  No one says, “Hey, that’s a pretty mote!”  But, we all marvel at the miracle of a butterfly.  And you can be the next butterfly.  Each time your skin hardens because of life’s circumstances, just keep moving and it will begin to fall off, and when you find yourself in a dark, desperate place, surrender and let God build your wings.

If your plan was to pray more, be nicer to people, devote more time to your family, write more blog posts, or get in shape, challenge yourself to be so different that even you won’t recognize yourself at the end of the year.  I bet if you showed a butterfly a picture of its former caterpillar self, it might not recognize itself—that’s because it always knew that it was meant to be a butterfly.  Whatever you were meant to be, Go live your potential.  The world is waiting to be wowed by you!