The Child and the Butterfly -- a life lesson for everyone

Father and child  

One summer morning, a bright-eyed child gets to dig in the dirt near Dad. While channeling their plant mastery, the younger gardener becomes bored. He notices something like a solo pea pod dangling outside the garden area. He inquisitively investigates and reports his findings to Dad, asking if he can show off his newly discovered treasure to Mom. Dad plays it safe, saying, “Don’t touch it for now; I’ll check it in a few minutes!”

The small worker begrudgingly vows to keep his mitts to himself, but the pod remains his true interest. Dad looks at the boy’s exploration and returns his own report. The young garden genius becomes even more excited to hear his discovery is not a pea and might become a butterfly. The young adventurer instantly starts to jump out of his skin with excitement but then contains himself. He yells out, “Really, Dad? Or are you just joking?” Dad is known for his practical jokes, and the son has been fooled before.

In Dad’s most sincere voice, the child is told the pod is known as a chrysalis but cautions the boy that all butterflies do not survive. The boy asks how Dad knows it is a "krisa-thing." Dad explains that he likes butterflies and planted a favorite food called the milkweed in the yard. He teaches his son that a mother butterfly will lay eggs on the leaves. He then tells his son he might discover more pods if he looks closely at the plants and repeats his no-touch warning.

 Mother and child

The childlike energy in the yard grows as the youth finds more pods. Unable to contain himself, he races inside the house to inform the fairest maiden of all and the love of his life about his epic discovery. Mom smiles joyfully as the flush-faced boy brags about his new garden wisdom. Then, without warning or a hug goodbye, he zooms back to Dad with an idea.

He pleads, “Can we please bring just one inside so I can watch it hatch? Please!” Dad said he would consider it. The boy reluctantly goes back to pulling weeds, but Dad does return. He tells the boy there are conditions for the request. Dad first warns the lad he must understand that it will take help from everyone in the house. The father notices a look of acceptance and his son’s full attention. Next, Dad drops the bad news that not all butterflies do not make it out of their chrysalis, and they need to know this. The younger gardener gives an affirmative nod.

The boy is made to promise he will not touch the chrysalis no matter what. He senses Dad might allow the pod inside. Dad states that butterflies stay inside their chrysalis for a few weeks but do not know when the metamorphosis started. Even if everything happens right, the boy may be there when the butterfly emerges. Somewhat disappointed, the boy says he understands. The father adds that it will not be a pet if they are lucky enough to get a butterfly. It would have to be set free to live outside where it could eat and grow strong. Thinking that there are a lot of rules to this, the boy nods again.

Then, without saying a word, Dad cut the branch, leaf, and hanging chrysalis in one piece. He took it inside and pinned it high on a kitchen curtain so everyone could see it. The boy could not have mustered a bigger smile as he looked at the proof of his adventure hanging in the house. What a great day!

 Watching God at work

The next day, the boy scampers down only to see no change in the curtain. The youth takes it upon himself to act like a military guard checking on the curtain all day. With each visit, there is a slight disappointment and a wish the butterfly would get on with things. That evening, the young sentry marches up to his father to inform him the butterfly must have died. His father replied that it had only been one day, reminding his son they did not know when the caterpillar would become a butterfly. Learning the secret that a butterfly transforms from a caterpillar shocks the lad. Then, wide-eyed and excited, he races off to tell the most amazing woman in the world his trivia.

The next days are painfully slow. The pod starts looking less like a pod. It’s losing its color. To the boy, this is a sure sign the pod is dead. As this dread continues, the boy finds more interesting things to fill his days. A few days later, the boy senses something as he pours his favorite cereal into a bowl.  He looks up. Something is happening. The pod is not dead! He finds Dad to tell him the great news, but Dad seems unconcerned. This lack of interest seems odd to the boy-turned-naturalist.  

The boy returns to the scene, but all chrysalis movement has stopped. He watches for what seems like forever. Why has everything stopped? One thing has changed for sure: he wants to touch that chrysalis. He finds other activities to keep busy, but checking on the soon-to-be new life is a priority again. Later that day, activity in the lump starts increasing rapidly. He sees the butterfly struggling to get out of the pod. It struggles, stops, struggles again, and stops. As this process continues, it seems clear this creature requires help. The boy remembers his commitments, but surely this must be a special circumstance.

For the next 15 minutes, which seemed like a month, the boy watched the intense suffering of a helpless creature trying to escape without hope. The boy thought ever-so-slightly to tear the sac but ran to Dad. The tearful child pleads in anguish and asks permission to help out the butterfly. He tells of the butterfly’s twists and struggles and that it needs help. Dad says nothing. He silently rises from his chair. Taking his child’s hand, the walk to the eating area together.

Upon arrival, they saw a winged insect emerge from the shell, exhausted and soaking wet. It was quivering on the curtain that held the chrysalis. The boy was overjoyed. He hugs Dad as he feels a sense of relief and a connection to this new life. He said, “Look, Dad, I thought the shell was dying because it was changing color, but that was the butterfly wings. Cool, right!” Dad replied softly, “Very cool.”  

 Watching nature complete her lesson.

The father softly whispered that the butterfly needed to feel safe and alone. He took the boy out of the room. The boy was now told that the butterfly was weak and vulnerable. Its wings must grow, or it cannot fly and avoid predators. Dad explains that the butterfly's struggle was why it survived. As the insect pushes itself out of the chrysalis, it sends fluids into its wings to make them harder and eventually stronger.

Then, Dad explains that they aided the butterfly by not helping it out of the chrysalis. If we had tried to help, its wings would now be weak and underdeveloped. The butterfly was now an adult, and eclosion is a fancy word for this painful process. Dad finishes by saying that the boy will also have struggles when he becomes an adult. Next, the boy learns the butterfly will not be in the house by nightfall and will probably have to leave in a few hours. He is told the butterfly will have to hang upside down so gravity can help develop wings. Dad hopes the butterfly will stay in the kitchen if everyone stays out of view. As the butterfly hangs, it pumps fluid into its wings. Then, it can test whether it is strong enough to fly. Dad tells his son that is when he can watch it get strong as it tests its flight in the house. Once it is strong, the boy will get the honor of being the person to open the door. Yes, the boy will be the one to set it free so it can fly in air currents, eat, and get strong outside. The boy thinks Mom needs to know everything, so he goes to the woman of his dreams.

The joy of God at work

The boy does everything exactly as his father instructs. As the child opened the door to let his new friend go, he watched God's perfect plan in place as two colorful wings headed straight to the milkweed outside. A few tears of joy rolled down the boy’s cheeks. From behind the boy, two adults had moist eyes as well. Not as much for the butterfly as for their child, who grew wiser in a week by participating in God’s miracle of life.   

I pray we all gain growth from the struggles God puts before us. Peace, Joe Pikul