Stage One: A butterfly starts very small as an egg. It
incubates and gets ready to hatch into a caterpillar.
Stage Two: The caterpillar only stays at this stage for a short
time and all they do is eat. Instantly, while they eat, they start to grow and
expand.
Stage Three: This is the coolest stage of a butterfly’s life.
As soon as the caterpillar is done growing, they form themselves into a
chrysalis. From the outside, the caterpillar looks as if it’s only resting, but
inside it is rapidly changing. The old body parts are undergoing a remarkable
transformation known as “metamorphosis.”
After this is finished, it’s now ready for the final stage of the butterfly.
Stage Four: When the caterpillar is completely changed, an
adult butterfly will emerge. At first, both wings are soft and folded against
its body and the butterfly is, as yet, unable to fly. After resting, it will
pump blood into its wings in order to get them stronger and able to flap. The
butterfly will usually master flying in about three to four hours and then off
they go to give the world around them beauty and elegance.
This cycle is much like the stages of growth in my life after my crisis
and when I found hope through Compass House. I started out very small like the
egg. My thoughts were “incubating” or
changing as I started to grow.
Soon, I was like the caterpillar, where all I could do was eat (or seek
and gain knowledge and understanding). This growth caused the most amazing
change. This was an inward change, not seen by others. I was experiencing that “metamorphosis” where my entire thought
process was rejuvenated. I became an individual who was looking forward to
life. It’s really the best change because I was getting ready to become a
butterfly. A shimmering example of my growth from beginning to now. Emerging
from my cocoon and flapping my wings, I’m getting ready to explore my world
while I allow those around me to see a new, positive and confident me. This is
truly a “complete metamorphosis.”
(Compass House is a member of Clubhouse International, a place where those with a mental health diagnosis can go to experience hope, acceptance, non-judgment, empowerment, diversity and friendship. Compass House can help a person find dignity and growth at any level of their potential. It also helps fight the stigma that surrounds a mental health diagnosis. People from all walks of life have experienced symptoms of crisis, but because of this stigma, it prevents them from seeking the help they need. These people suffer greatly without some kind of uplifting assistance. This what Compass House is there for.)
