The Becoming

As the season changes and the earth turns from the dusty colors of winter to the vibrant greens of spring I can't help but be amazed at the transformation. It has caused me to think about the butterflies I raised last year and what a fun learning experience that was. I remember one specific stage of the butterflies' lives that really astonished me. Just before the caterpillar envelopes itself in a chrysalis it has an astonishing task to complete. The caterpillar will hang upside down and form itself into a "J". After a few moments of hanging in complete stillness the caterpillar will shake, almost like it's having a seizure. During the "seizure", the caterpillar's skin splits right down the back and is shed completely from the body of the caterpillar. After that, the caterpillar resumes it's stillness and begins the barely noticeable process of encasing itself in the chrysalis. I was lucky to actually witness this with two of the caterpillars we raised. I was amazed and couldn't help but wonder, "was that painful?". The caterpillar seemed to be trying so hard to rid itself of the skin that encased it's body.

When I see the leaves of my quaking aspen unfolding themselves from the white bark I wonder too, "does that hurt?". Every little thing, emerging from it's dark winter hiding place must have to put forth quite a bit of effort to become what it is meant to be. It has brought me comfort to have these thoughts. I have felt so often a great deal of discomfort when moving from one stage of life to the next. I ask myself, "why is this so hard?". I have come to think that not only is the point of our lives to become someone better, but to learn to take comfort in "the becoming".