THE butterfly EFFECT metamorphosis

We often view change as immediate and substantial; however, the reality of change is a build-up of small developments over long periods of time that amount to transformations. Change in human life is inevitable and necessary, but it is not something to fear. Human growth is comparable to the metamorphosis of a butterfly. Like the cycles, the changes are prepared for by previous life experiences (or stages). One thing someone may have done ages ago can still affect their present and future just like the “Butterfly Effect”.

The world tends to associate strength with value and view the fragile things in the world as inferior. This link, however, is unsubstantiated. To look at fragility from a different angle— not one of weakness, but one of strength in vulnerability—is to have a more complex understanding of what is truly valuable.

Gold is the most valuable metal despite it being the softest. Flowers are often bought as acts of love and are placed at high value despite their short lifespan and dainty nature. Even a single flap of a butterfly’s wing can alter the weather to distant reaches. If we as people look at our vulnerabilities as strengths rather than weaknesses, we can feel empowered rather than ashamed of ourselves. We can better understand our own power to create and anticipate change rather than just react to it.

It is extremely important to remember the parts everything and everyone plays in the world. Everything is connected. Even small things can create massive changes and even fragile things hold immense value.

Once upon a time, in the early days of summer, a tiny fairy with hair paying homage to the deep purple abyss of blackberry juice emerged from the shadows of delicately pale petals. She was shrouded literally by gossamer and figuratively by the mysterious circumstances of her exact inception, but instead opted to remain distracted by the sweet taste of berry juice darkening her lips. She came to start introducing herself as “Blackberry.”

She spent her days wide-eyed and eager, befriending her fellow woodland creatures and exploring the world around her. Sustained on dewdrops and nectar, she took off to the sky on her winged friends, floated downstream on lily-pads, skipped pebbles and traipsed toward the horizon far and wide.

The day the sun took the longest to set in the sky was the day Blackberry found herself hopelessly lost, unable to find her way back to her tree hollow nest. She had been so enamored by the new sights that surrounded her that she had forgotten the longing of familiarity. She walked until the moon rose and her legs faltered with every step before promptly collapsing into a lily pad, seeing stars and wanting for nothing but her cot.

Later, she woke, but the nightmare was far from over—she found herself eye to eye with the hiss and the humongous beady eyes and the forked tongue of a leering, hungry snake. There was malice in its eyes, and the only thing that kept her safe was the quickly decreasing distance between herself and the river banks.

So without further ado, she screamed.

A figure appeared. And just like that, the snake disappeared with a retaliatory hiss, promising armageddon for another day.

The next sight will be forever ingrained within the stars of Blackberry’s memory: her figure was clothed in a sheer white gossamer dress, atop which striking black marble eyes were inlaid neatly within a wide-set, porcelain face. She was absolutely breathtaking. And her expression read that she was just as starstruck by the girl on the lily pad.

“An angel?” Blackberry wondered aloud.

“No,” the other tiny girl replied, “My name is Nightshade.”