A Year In Metamorphosis

Sigh.

Talking about metamorphosis always brings me back to my days as a student at OB Montessori in Greenhills, where their favorite metaphor for a child’s personal development (which they shoehorned into the school logo at every opportunity) is that of a caterpillar pupating and turning into a butterfly. It was obvious and it was corny, but it was a metaphor that made sense. But then I always end up thinking: if every person undergoes through this development, why don’t I feel any different now than when I was still a frickin’ “caterpillar”? To me, the whole pupal stage in that metaphor is kind of like how “???” is the last step before PROFIT. I’m all like, did I miss something here?!

I decided back then that the best way to enter this magical developmental “pupal stage” was to take a near-literal approach. That is, I shut myself off from the outside world, cut all contact with my friends, and tried to cultivate a persona that was completely different from how people saw me as a kid. Years later, I showcased the “new” me to my friends after years of no contact… and they ended up treating me the same way as before. I was the same old awkward, humor-deprived kid who was always the butt of jokes because he took himself too seriously. I didn’t develop, and it was all because in my self-exile I failed to see myself from the perspective of other people. I also had no idea how the people around me were developing as individuals compared to myself. While friends of mine were already on their way to becoming doctors and bank managers and internationally acclaimed singers, I’m still struggling as a multimedia designer and comic book artist to this very day.

But then I realized something. There’s no magical cocoon in life wherein you can just shut yourself off for a time and come out a beautiful butterfly! (This metaphor is starting to make us all gag, I’m sure, but just stick with me a little longer.) In fact, us regular folks should compare our lives to that of the cockroach’s life cycle.

You heard me!

It's Morphing Time!

Unlike butterflies, which have distinct stages in life, a young cockroach (called a nymph) looks essentially the same as an adult roach. The difference is that adult roaches are bigger and dirtier, but more difficult to kill. They soldier on with their lives despite being loathed by everyone else and having to go through an endless gauntlet of bug spray and shoes. At the end of the day, they might be missing a few limbs, but they’re pretty much immune to bug spray and nuclear fallout. In other words, as a roach, you’re still essentially the same exact creature that you were before, except stronger. People will think less of you, but that’s just part of the process. Granted, some people do go through the whole butterfly thing, but they’re the lucky ones. Gotta make do with what you got, after all.

So in this, 2012, the year in metamorphosis, let’s expect to go through a few more cans of Raid before we reach the end. I know I will (maybe with some Baygon mixed in). I already gave you your first challenge by bombarding you with horrible metaphors. Let’s do this thing!

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