oliver

In the hollow of a tree, high above the park below lived a caterpillar named Oliver. Oliver was small and striped just like his brothers and sisters. Everyday he would sit in the hollow of his tree home and watch the people and animals play in the park below. Oliver was happy with his daily routine and never wished for it to change. 
One day though Oliver started to look different than his brothers and sisters. His once black and yellow striped body started to turn brown and his skin started to harden. His brothers and sisters started teasing him.
“Hurry up and metamorphosize already!” they would laugh and tease.

Oliver was confused, so he asked his mom what was wrong with him.

“There’s nothing wrong with you Oliver” his mom laughed

“You aren’t like the others, you are a butterfly. Soon you’re going to turn into something different, but more beautiful than anyone else. Then when you are ready, you can spread your wings and find who you are really supposed to be.”

Oliver was scared. He didn’t want to be different than everyone else, he didn’t want life to change. He loved fitting in with everyone else and watching the world below him while he sat in the hollow of his tree home. 
Oliver’s body continued to change, but Oliver tried to hide it from everyone else. He didn’t play, he didn’t eat, and he didn’t move from his favorite hollow.

But one day a beautiful monarch butterfly was flying thru the park and noticed a very sick and sad looking Oliver. The monarch landed in Oliver’s hollow and asked Oliver what was wrong and why he hasn’t started changing yet.

Oliver told the monarch that he was scared to change because he didn’t want to be different, that he wanted to stay who he is now, forever.

The monarch laughed just like Oliver’s mom had and said to him,
“The changes that are about to happen are as beautiful as you are going to be. There is nothing scary about change”.

With a warm smile the butterfly flew away and as Oliver watched the monarch’s beautiful wings glide thru the air, Oliver decided that maybe change isn’t so bad after all.

A few days later Oliver changed into the most beautiful, bright butterfly anyone had ever seen. Oliver loved who he had become and realized that sometimes you have to risk everything you are to become everything you’re supposed to be.