Spread your wings: the meaning of the butterfly

For the longest time, butterflies have been an important and vital symbol in my family. This is because my grandmother, who died of cancer when I was 6, loved butterflies, and so when we see a butterfly, we think of her. So for my whole life, butterflies have always captivated me. We've all heard the story in elementary science class where butterflies start off as caterpillars, and when they're ready and fully grown, they form into a cocoon. Through metamorphosis, they transform into a beautiful butterfly. Even though I learned this at a young age, I never really looked deeper into what a butterfly actually symbolizes. After researching, I found that butterflies highly represent transformation from something little to something so powerful and bright, and they also represent personal growth. From obtaining this knowledge, butterflies began to take on a whole new definition for me. Having a hearing disability means I have to adapt to every situation that I struggle in and find ways to overcome that, just like a caterpillar adapts into a cocoon in order to complete the full transformation. But even besides my disability, I have endured numerous trials in life that emphasize transformation and personal growth. I moved 5 different times in the four years that I went to high school, having to adapt to new homes and a new school. I decided to go to a college 6 hours away, not knowing what to expect. But through all of those experiences, something beautiful has come out of it, just as a butterfly emerges at the end of the cycle. From my hearing disability, I have been able to inspire others with disabilities and even the ones without disabilities. I have also gained a sense of self-worth and self-confidence in spite of my disability. Through all the moves and going to college, I have obtained friendships that will last me a lifetime, and I have gained priceless knowledge and wisdom from them. Because of these experiences and this new knowledge, I have taken to butterflies with a deeper sense of understanding and appreciation for what they stand for. Even though I have learned these things from butterflies and applied their meaning to my life, I am still learning from them now and the lesson I am learning now is one of patience. I have struggled with patience my whole life when it comes to things that I am very passionate about and care very much about. I had a cochlear implant put in at the beginning of summer in order to help me hear more efficiently than with what the hearing aids were providing me. But what I didn't prepare myself for was that it was a process. A long and hard process that takes about 6-12 months before I can use the implant to its full advantage. I have been frustrated with this not because I don't think I can get to the finish line but because I can't get to the finish line as fast as I want to. But thinking and going back to the cycle of a butterfly, caterpillars have to reach their full potential and growth before they can crystallize into a cocoon, and even when they go into that cocoon, they have to be patient before they can eventually break out and turn into a beautiful butterfly. So from this, I have learned that I am going to have to be patient with the cochlear implant process and also with every trial I face in life because it makes the outcome that much more meaningful and more beautiful. My mom would always tell me to take my time while doing my homework because when I rushed through it, my work was always sloppy, but when I took my time and really tried, the end result was near perfect. It's the same thing with the butterfly cycle and with any situation you face in life. Once you learn to be patient and wait and trust God's timing, you appreciate the outcome more, and the result is more beautiful and satisfying than you ever expected it to be just like the unique butterfly breaking out of the cocoon shell. Through personal transformation and patience during the unpredictable rollercoaster of life, you grow like a caterpillar, and once you have grown, you will become a beaming and beautiful butterfly, eager to spread your wings to show the world how unique and special you are.