A butterfly's journey

Paru woke up with the feeling of direct sunlight on her skin. It is morning again, she thought. And like what she would always do, she started creeping her way out from the dazzling rays of the sun. Moments later, she found a place where she could hide and eat. Hide, eat and sleep – a cycle of action she only does, every single day.

Unappealing – she has always been unappealing to others. Buyog the Bee once told her that she would die unworthy of other’s attention and she would constantly feel sad at the memory.

She doesn’t have a place to call home. She doesn’t even have someone whom she can call a friend – Oh! There was one then, but one typhoon blew Gam the Ant away and she never saw her again. Needless to say, Paru is all alone. Darkness and silence has been always her companion all her life.

Paru blinked back a few rebellious tears and continued munching her food. She should now be used to living alone but can’t help but feel envious whenever she sees families taking care of one another and friends laughing together. How sad her life must be.

Finishing up her breakfast, she started gathering the remaining chunks of food she had just eaten. She was about to move on to another place when she heard someone getting near her. Oh no! She mumbled silently. Judging from the sound of it, she knew she should quickly find a way to escape whoever it was.

Paru didn’t dare to move and remained still. She knew she was in danger – very much in danger as she would be Agila’s first meal of the day. Agila the mighty eagle that everyone feared and she isn’t an exception.

This is it. Will I be ending this way? She asked herself. She could feel Agila’s movements getting closer and she had nowhere else to hide.  She closed her eyes and hoped that miracles do actually happen as she badly needed one at the moment.

As she was about to accept her ghastly fate, something unexpected happened. She slowly opened her eyes and found Agila nowhere in sight. She looked up and saw Agila struggling to free himself from Ahas’ vicious constriction.

She couldn’t believe it! Ahas the snake just saved her! Paru felt the tug of her conscience. She would often judge Ahas through his looks. With a slimy and tree-like color of skin, one would easily fear and disgust him, including her.

Paru heaved a sigh of relief. Thank heavens for Ahas! It is only by now, after everything, that she truly understands the idiomatic expression, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Oh how she hoped that others realizes it and finds her worth also. But she guessed she needed to save lives first as what Ahas did, unfortunately she can’t. Her helpless and fragile feature prevents her from doing so. Daunted, she wobbled all her negative thoughts away and continued what she was doing.

Days passed by and she started to feel something weird inside of her, making her cripple and delicate. She could feel her body shrinking into something she doesn’t even know. Paru once again welcomed that shallow and dark space where she came from. She got no choice but to surrender. Acceptance is the only thing she could do at the moment.

Whilst inside the hollow place, Paru realized so many things – how she became resilient despite all the hardships she had and how she remained tenacious. She remembered how difficult it was to grow up alone and yet she’s still alive. Paru thought she must be lucky to be able to take all the adversities of the world.

But how long could she endure all these? No one but God only knows.

Time passes with changes on her body. Pain was there each and every time yet she believed that was all part of her becoming. She knew that one day, all the struggles she had will all be paid off.

And the right time came, she saw light again. And she could feel that she has been reborn. Hope aroused in her. She emerged from that dark and shallow space. She knew she has completely changed.

Paru roamed her eyes and saw the other part of the world she once called cruel – it was full of life now. She smiled and wiggled. She spotted a beautiful flower and could just imagine how sweet it would taste. She took a deep breath and lifted her arms, flaunting the colorful and bright part that was added to her being. She’s now ready.

She spread her wings and began flying.

She is Paru, a butterfly and a superhero of her own struggle.