“The Little Butterfly”

“You’re so ugly”

A phrase I’ve heard all my life. Unlike the other beautiful butterflies, my wings never formed. I’ve only got my body and an antenna. Ever since I came out of the cocoon, I’ve been criticized and cast out of society. I’m a 7 month old butterfly with no friends. My life on the ground is quite lonely and all I can say to myself is, “it’s not your fault.” I try to stay as positive as I can and look on the brighter side of things, but it can get hard when even my family stays away from me because it's “too embarrassing to be seen with me.” 

My day starts off early in the morning to see the beautiful sunrise and ends with gazing at the night stars. There’s nothing I can do in between. I sometimes take walks to end my boredom and sometimes catch glimpses of flying butterflies and their beautiful wings. I would envy them. Sometimes I told myself I had clear wings, to cheer myself up, but it never worked. I’ve seen many colors, but the colored wings that most fascinate me are purple colored ones. I like them especially when I see them fluttering in the moonlight. These thoughts lifted my spirits, but I was brought down even more when I thought about the cruel reality.

One day, as I was walking around. I stumbled upon a hurt dragonfly. I rushed to it and I noticed how one of its wings had been impaled by a stick. I attempted to take the stick out since it was weighing the dragonfly down. As I did this, I heard a grunt. 

“Hey are you okay? You passed out” I said.

I could see how much pain they were in by looking at their face and I talked to fill in the silence. 

“I know it hurts, but to relieve you, I need to take the stick out. Please try to endure it.”

I said a quick sorry and used all my might, pushing the wing down and pulling the stick up. 

“AHHHH”

“AHHHH”

The dragonfly screamed with me as I screamed while pulling it out. 

Plop. I did it. I pulled it out. I was amazed with myself. 

“Thank you.” the dragonfly groaned out. 

“Of course,” I said while helping her get up. 

Their wings fluttered. They were so pretty. I was jealous of the dragonfly as I saw its purple wings flapping. I was staring at the moving wings until I realized the situation. It could no longer fly anymore. 

The wings stopped moving and I turned to a sobbing dragonfly’s face. 

I suddenly understood her pain and couldn't say anything. I asked if she would like to come to my place until she got better and surprisingly she said yes. 

As we were walking back to my place, no one talked. She continued crying and I didn’t know how to comfort her. She fell asleep not long after we got home. I went to my bed and laid there thinking about how our situations were similar and soon fell asleep, deep in my thoughts. 

It was morning and I went to check on her. No one was there. She must’ve left. I was a bit disappointed that she didn’t stay but was happy at the thought of her being able to fly again. I walked to my usual spot to see the sunrise and there I saw her. 

"Hey"

“Oh hi. I didn't get to properly thank you yesterday but thanks for your help” the dragonfly responded. 

“Of course. How are you feeling?”

“Much better now that the stick has been pulled out” 

“Heh well I’m going on a walk for some food. Want to tag along?”

I was expecting a rejection since I remembered what I looked like and how others stayed away from me because of it. I soon regretted asking her and looked down. 

“Yeah, why not.”

My eyes opened and I looked up with an excited expression. 

“REALLY?!!” I screamed. 

I soon realized what I just did and coughed. 

“I mean, really?”

The dragonfly laughed and said “Yea, haha, should I not?”

“No,no, you should. Um...Let's go!”

During their hunt for berries, they talked about themselves and their past. The little butterfly explained her whole past and difficulties. Surprised by the butterfly’s story, she commented, “but you’re beautiful.” 

The butterfly stopped walking and asked, “do you really mean that?”

“Yeah. You know … I was also called ugly when I was growing up.”

“No way,” the butterfly said. “But you’re so pretty.”

“Thanks, but not to the dragonfly society. I was often left out just like you and I hated it. However, I didn’t let what they said influence me, so you shouldn’t either. We’re all beautiful in our own ways. Who said we should all look the same. Everyone’s beautiful in their own way and some just can’t see it.”

The butterfly smiled at what the dragonfly said and thanked her. 

The butterfly never looked at it like that. She always said the same thing to herself about how it wasn't her fault that she looked this way. But after hearing the words of the dragonfly, she finally accepted herself.

A few weeks later, the dragonfly’s wing was fully healed. At the news of this, the butterfly was a bit saddened, but happy for the dragonfly. It was an emotional departure for the little butterfly. After all, it was her first ever friendship. 

The days went on for the little butterfly as she went back to her old schedule. One morning, as the butterfly did her morning stretch turning to the side, she noticed something out of the ordinary. The little butterfly turned to its other side and the same thing was there. The butterfly rejoiced, realizing what was growing. 

“Wings. I finally have them.”

Even after fully growing their wings out, the little butterfly never forgot the words of the dragonfly. She knew it was time for her to start the new chapter of her life. As she spread her purple wings, she thought to herself how beautiful she was. However, even with the beautiful wings, the little butterfly knew her real beauty existed since day one.