Hope for the Flowers
Trina Paulus wrote a wonderful fable about butterflies entitled Hope for the Flowers. It is a story of a caterpillar named Stripe who went searching for the meaning of his existence.
One day, Stripe chanced upon a caterpillar tower where he saw others much like himself making a climb to the top. From where he stood, he could only see clouds up above. Despite not knowing what lay ahead, he felt drawn to climb up like the rest. This would be the answer to his search—after all, everyone was pursuing it.
This became his single goal. His dedication to the top, however, blinded him to the fact that he had to step on the others to get there.
Until he met Yellow.
Yellow had previously heard Stripe talk to himself about the senselessness of his pursuit. Sharing the same feelings, she initiated a conversation with him about it. But one time, Stripe stepped on her, just as he did to everyone.
He felt bad about it, though. It was different to hurt someone who had a face and a name you knew.
From this experience, Stripe apologized.
They both agreed that nothing was worth hurting another caterpillar. Together, they decided it was pointless to go any further. They climbed down and chose to live life together.
At first, they were very happy. But Stripe continued to feel this restlessness deep within him. Yellow eventually had to let him go and allow him to find what was at the top in order for him to appease his restive soul.
Meanwhile, Yellow met another caterpillar who was weaving a cocoon for himself. Curious as to what he was doing, she asked him. He then told her the real essence of a caterpillar is to become a butterfly. It would, however, entail some form of dying, as they would need to be in a cocoon first.
Yellow decided to give it a try.
Stripe, on the other hand, continued with his second climb. This time, he managed to reach the top. To his disappointment, he discovered nothing there. The others who were with him at the top refused to divulge this truth for fear of looking ridiculous. So they held their positions just to give the impression that something good was up there.
This was until pressure from the bottom would push them out. They would all then drop and plunge to their deaths.
In this moment of despair, Stripe saw a beautiful yellow butterfly hovering over him. The butterfly looked familiar to him. She was seemingly beckoning him to give up the foolishness of it all and try another path.
He decided to go down and warned others of what to expect at the top. Many refused to listen and accused him of sour graping. But he continued down and followed the butterfly.
In time, he too built his own cocoon and became a butterfly.
He realized that as a butterfly, it was easier for him to fly to the top. But more importantly, he would carry the seed of love from one flower to another.
At last, Stripe understood what made their lives meaningful as caterpillars—to become what they are meant to be in the first place: butterflies who would bring hope for the flowers.
Reference: YouTube - Vanessa Eracho
