THE WORK BEFORE THE WINGS
“The caterpillar does all the work, but the butterfly gets all the publicity.” George Carlin
I smiled when I read this quote because there is so much truth tucked inside the humor. Everyone notices the butterfly. We marvel at its brilliant colors, its delicate wings and the seemingly effortless way it floats from flower to flower. Rarely do we stop and think about what it took to get those wings.
I have had the privilege of watching this miracle unfold. I have observed these beautiful creatures from the time they were the tiniest dots on a milkweed leaf. Then comes the little caterpillar, eating and growing, eating and growing. It seems like such a fragile existence. I sometimes wonder how any of them survive long enough to become what they were intended to be all along—a butterfly.
There is a lot of work that happens before the wings. Perhaps that is why I am so fascinated by them. Their journey reminds me so much of our own. We look at someone who is soaring and often see only the wings. We see the successful business, the happy relationship, the spiritual teacher, the healed heart or the person who seems to have finally found their purpose. What we don't see are all the milkweed days. We don't see the crawling, the searching, the growing and the moments when everything familiar had to be surrendered.
And then there is the chrysalis. What an incredible lesson nature gives us there. The caterpillar does not simply go inside, grow wings and emerge looking prettier. Transformation happens in the darkness. What it was must give way to what it is becoming. How many times have we found ourselves in our own chrysalis?
There have certainly been times in my life when I could not see what God was doing. I only knew that the old way of being no longer fit and the new had not yet revealed itself. Those in-between places can feel uncomfortable and sometimes even frightening. We want answers. We want movement. We want to know when the wings are coming. Spirit whispers, “Trust the process.”
The caterpillar does not spend its days worrying whether it will become a butterfly. It simply follows the Divine blueprint placed within it. What if we did the same? What if instead of judging the stage we are in, we honored it? Maybe today you are crawling. Maybe you are consuming everything you can learn. Maybe you are resting inside the darkness of your chrysalis. Or perhaps you are beginning to feel something opening and realizing that the wings you prayed for have been forming all along. Every stage matters.
Butterflies also remind us that our transformation is not only for ourselves. They play an important role in the natural world, carrying pollen from flower to flower as they feed on nectar and helping plants reproduce. Their presence also tells us something about the health of the environment around them. These delicate beings have purpose far beyond their beauty. So do we.
Perhaps the wings God is growing in you are not simply so you can fly. Perhaps they are meant to carry love somewhere it has not been. Perhaps your story will pollinate hope in another person's heart. Perhaps the darkness you survived will become the light someone else needs to find their way. We never know how far the ripple of one transformed life will travel.
So today, honor your caterpillar days. Honor the times when you worked quietly and no one applauded. Honor the chrysalis moments when it seemed as if nothing was happening. Honor every tear, every prayer, every lesson and every time you chose to keep going. The butterfly may get the publicity, but Spirit sees all the work that came before the wings.
Dear Angels, how can we trust our transformation when we cannot yet see what we are becoming?
Dear Ones, you were never asked to see the completed picture. You were only asked to trust the Divine presence within you that knows the way. The caterpillar carries within itself everything necessary for its transformation, and so do you.
Do not despise the crawling days, nor fear the darkness of the chrysalis. There is sacred work happening in the unseen. What appears to be an ending may simply be the dissolving of what can no longer accompany you into your next expression. You are not behind. You are becoming.
Rest when you are called to rest. Grow when you are called to grow. Release when you are called to release. And when the moment comes to open your wings, do not remain inside the chrysalis because it once felt safe. The world needs what you are becoming.
Fly, Dear One.
Angels Whisper: Your wings are being formed in places no one else can see. Trust the darkness, honor the journey and remember: you were created to transform. When the time is right, spread your wings and carry your light into the world.
Today, I promise to fly.
Teri Angel is a Joy Guide, Happiness Coach, energy healer, best-selling author, spiritual teacher, mentor, and inspirational speaker devoted to awakening peace within the human heart. As an International Peace Ambassador and founder of the nonprofit Angelspeakers Inc., Teri creates transformative workshops, sacred gatherings, and global initiatives that honor environmental stewardship, animal advocacy, peace consciousness, and the integration of ancient wisdom teachings into modern life.
Through her worldwide movement, Peas For Peace, Teri invites humanity to remember our divine interconnectedness—strengthening awareness of our oneness and inspiring unity through compassion, love, joy, and intentional action. During the Peace On Earth Tour, she was honored with the sacred name “She Who Blesses the Sacred Land,” a title she carries with humility and heartfelt grace as she continues blessing lands and waters around the world.
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To book a private session with Teri, visit https://angelspeakers.com
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