This is a story of an unusual caterpillar named Calvin.

When Calvin was a baby, his mother would bring milkweed leaves to Calvin and his brothers and sisters to eat. About two weeks went by and Calvin’s mother told the family it was time to be on their own, and they would know how to go on without her. 

She also explained a caterpillar’s life is very short and they would have to go about their life purpose very quickly. 

Calvin’s mother then turned towards the nearest milkweed and began climbing, never to be seen again. The next morning Calvin was on his own and hungry, he found an appetizing milkweed and began to climb. About halfway up Calvin lost his footing and fell to the ground with a thud, “Ow”, cried out Calvin, “That really hurt and maybe could have killed me!”  

The fall was very traumatic for Calvin. As the day went on, he watched as his brothers and sisters climbing milkweeds, and as with his mother, he never saw them again, seemingly gone forever. Calvin felt lost and very lonely; that night he did not sleep very well. Upon waking the next morning, Calvin felt depressed and went to look for food. Calvin decided to search for milkweed leaves that had fallen to the ground, for Calvin was not about to climb anything anytime soon. That afternoon he was looking for food, he heard a voice. He looked around and didn’t see anything. He soon discovered the voice was coming from within, urging him to climb a milkweed and find a branch to attach to. 

Calvin exclaimed out loud, “What a crazy notion, I’m not about to do anything as dangerous as that!” He decided the voice from within was evil. All day long Calvin was hearing that voice and, of course, trying to ignore the urging.  

In the late afternoon, Calvin was sleepily crawling along, when he heard another voice. This one, however, was very familiar but not coming from within, instead from above. With a quiet fluttering sound this beautiful winged creature landed next to Calvin and began speaking in this mysterious, familiar voice. “I am a butterfly and I have a message for you, I know you have heard the voice from within, guiding you to do something very special, and fulfilling your life’s purpose and you have been resisting, Calvin, please find the courage and trust, all will be well. There is a miracle awaiting.”

With that, this magnificent being opened his wings and flew away. Calvin finally recognized where he heard that voice, it was the voice of his brother, but how could that be? As Calvin thought about what the butterfly was telling him, he felt a peaceful realization to follow his inner guidance. 

Calvin found the perfect milkweed, took a long deep breath and carefully started to ascend the stalk of the milkweed. With every step, he got more confident, until he found the perfect branch, crawled out onto it and positioned himself under the branch.  

After a while of holding on for dear life, something magical began to occur, Calvin’s tail started to attach to the branch, feeling very secure, Calvin let go and now was hanging from the branch awaiting the miracle. After hanging around for a while, Calvin got very sleepy and closed his eyes, that would be Calvin’s last memory as a caterpillar.  

After what seemed like weeks, Calvin started to awaken and he felt very different, fearless. Quite naturally, Calvin began chipping away at the cocoon that had formed around him and emerged fully transformed. 

“What a miracle!” exclaimed Calvin, as he joyfully looked over his new appearance. Opening his wings, allowing them to dry more completely, Calvin thought back about finding the courage and trust to allow Nature’s most magnificent metamorphosis. 

Calvin took another long deep breath and with a courageous leap of faith, jumped from the branch and began to fly, announcing to the world, I am indeed magnificent, I am royalty.