For a caterpillar to become a butterfly, he must be turned upside down. It is in this state, where down is up and up is down, that he builds his cocoon.
Imagine building a lego house that you cannot look at directly, only in the reflection of a reflection. This is how he must feel. Still, it gets done . . . because it has to, and it is the only thing he knows to do.
In this cave, soft and cozy on the inside and hard on the outside, he is protected against the elements--rain, wind, cold, animals, and other preying insects. Turning his world upside down--seeing things in a new way, and building despite the obstacles, because he is driven by a force larger than himself--are necessary for his transition into the next stage of his life. The cocoon he builds, which alienates him from his surroundings, prove to be vital shelter as his body changes and he dons his beautiful wings.
I've always wondered if it is difficult for the butterfly to emerge from the cocoon. We present the unveiling to children as a majestic miracle, always with a lesson of perseverance. As I imagine it, though, that butterfly in that cocoon at first wants nothing to do with the outside world, where it's cold, predators abound, and food must be found.
I imagine him sitting snuggly in that cocoon, lifting this new heavy appendage just slightly, taking a whiff and declaring, "Whewwwwieeee! I've gotta get outta here! I reek!" And so he struggles and fights until finally he is free.
He doesn't simply spread his wings effortlessly and fly away, though, like in the children's stories. No, he rests, just outside his cocoon. He must be exhausted. In some way, he is clinging to his former home that kept him safe, probably still gaining nourishment from the lining before he has to let go and fly.
Imagine how he must feel in this new body, which is more than slightly awkward and takes some time to get used to--heavy appendages instead of lightweight little spines, which he has to learn to control and to use WITH the wind, instead of fighting to cling to a branch like he used to just to make it through the day.
Yes, the only way for this little caterpillar to move to the next stage was to intentionally turn his own world upside down, and with this new perspective and worldview to build a little cave of protection as he undergoes the most profound transformation of his short life before he exerts himself like never before and never again to emerge anew, and even then, he must let go and fight against the goo that attaches him to his home, spread those big heavy wings . . . and find the courage to fly . . . fly . . . into the great unknown.
