Once upon a time, there was a boy named Dillan who felt lost about his identity and purpose. Dillan's days were filled with reading and running around aimlessly, and he believed that because he never did anything significant, he himself was not significant. This thought troubled him deeply, and he decided to seek validation from those around him.
One day, Dillan set off to the town and informed his brother that he would return in two days. Upon arriving in town, he approached everyone he knew, asking if they thought he was important. However, everyone avoided answering his question, leading Dillan to believe that nobody considered him important. Disheartened, he returned home a day early and asked his brother the same question, but received the same evasive response.
That night, Dillan went to bed feeling unimportant, but when he woke up, he found himself transformed into a beautiful butterfly. He flew around joyously until he encountered a group of butterflies who recognized him and welcomed him warmly. They took him to their home and assured him of his importance. One butterfly, curious about Dillan’s quest for validation, asked why he needed to know if he was important. Dillan explained that as a human, he felt unnoticed and insignificant. The butterfly responded that in their community, everyone is important because they all play a vital role in the ecosystem.
The next morning, Dillan woke up as a human again, confused by the shift between being a boy and a butterfly. He told his brother, who dismissed his experience as absurd. This cycle continued for about two months, with Dillan alternating between human and butterfly forms, until he could no longer discern his true nature. He eventually chose to identify as a butterfly because it made him feel valued.
However, upon returning to the butterfly world, he noticed that the butterflies began ignoring him. Seeking answers, he found the questioning butterfly and asked why this change occurred. The butterfly explained, “Dillan, you are important no matter where you are. Do you even know what you truly are?” Dillan confidently replied, “Yes, I am a beautifully important butterfly.” The butterfly gently corrected him, saying, “No, Dillan, you are a human. You are important in your own right, and you don’t need anyone else to affirm that.”
The next morning, Dillan woke up as a human and, despite his confusion, decided to stay in his room all day. When he woke up the following day still as a human, he began to question whether he was a butterfly, a boy, or if it was all a dream. He ultimately realized that he was an important little boy who mattered to the world and to his town.
This is the story of Dillan, the boy who questioned his identity and significance. You might wonder if Dillan’s experience was real or just a dream. The truth is, he is indeed a human boy who had a profound dream where he became a butterfly. And how do I know this? Because I am the butterfly who asked Dillan the questions and provided him with the answers he sought.