A Butterfly is born

An unexpected guest

Two weeks ago, my mum-in-law brought a little surprise for my kids - a little chubby spotty caterpillar. Imagine the response from Deborah & Rachel. There were gasps and "wows". It was a little fellow who wouldn't stop munching the juicy leaves we have layered his little house with.

Last week, the little one stopped eating, lied down at the bottom of his enclosure, and became a cocoon. It was a first time for my girls, and admittedly for me as well. As an adult living in the modern Singapore, seeing a butterfly is rare, much less a caterpillar or a cocoon. So the little cocoon continue to keep us in suspense and in awe. Will he emerge as a beautiful butterfly?

A tragedy & some hope

Just last Sunday, I checked with little Isaiah, son of my friends Peter & Grace. I asked him "how was the caterpillar that your mum caught for you? has it become a butterfly?" He looked stunned, and then Grace who was nearby told me that the poor fellow died. You see, kids in Singapore are really very, very deprived although we are a rich city-state. How many kids have seen a butterfly fluttering about in her natural habitat, or a caterpillar munching away blissfully? Such images of God's creation in their unspoilt natural forms are only reserved for trips to some specially cultivated parks or in some inanimate forms in books or on the Internet. Is it then a surprise that people grow up oblivious to the handiwork of God in their daily life?

During the week, Deborah asked me, "papa, why the caterpillar hasn't become a butterfly yet?" I said, "he may take some time to become a butterfly. Be patient, give him some time."

Ecclesiastes 3: 11

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

A new beginning

Today, Deborah excitedly told me to close my eyes. Both Rachel and Deborah have been doing that whenever they have something special to show us. She was so excited that she gave the game away. She said "papa, close your eyes. Don't go to the caterpillar there, ok?". I thought, "the butterfly must have emerged from the cocoon".

She led me while I walked with my eyes closed. "Ready? 1, 2, 3, open your eyes!". Right before my eyes was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen up close. It was the former caterpillar, now in his glory as a beautiful butterfly! I have never seen a butterfly up close. Today, God has given us yet another wonderful miracle in our life. The beautiful butterfly, with rings and different shades of colours on his wings and body. The patterns on her body are all that remains of his former caterpillar form. His proboscis is neatly curled up, while he flutters his wings constantly, as if to exercise and get ready for the world out there.

We will be releasing the butterfly to the little garden near our house tomorrow. It shall be a new beginning for the butterfly. Also a new beginning for me for me of sorts.

You may have to stop running

The doctor told me matter of factly. No more long-distance running at least in the near future. Forget about sit-ups or other vigorous forms of exercise. He suggested taiji or qigong. Most people would not take this pronouncement too badly; some may even welcome it as an excuse not to do sports. Not me the least. I have been a fitness guy since my junior college days when I was into body-building and aerobics.

What happened?

It has to do with my hearing impairment.

About 20 years ago, I was first struck by a spate of giddy attacks, unexplanable at first. After a series of scans to determine that there were no head or brain injuries or tumours, the ENT specialist told me that it's an imbalance due to hearing loss or uneven hearing. The sense of hearing is an important part of balance, I was told. When one's hearing goes off-tangent, his sense of balance also may be affected. As sudden as the attacks came, they went away after a year or so. This year, to be precise, April 2005, it came back, and I have been down 3 times since. I was told to prepare to learn taiji today. Even if I don't, stay off vigorous sports. And yes, in the mean time, "pop a cocktail of pills to stabilize your balance", I was told.

Time to move on

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Well, it's time to put aside my quest for a fit-looking physique for one that's really fit. Taiji and Qigong proponents will tell me that I will benefit many times more from practising these forms of exercise, than pumping iron or working out at the fitness park. I think so too. Like the former caterpillar, I will have to give up my old way of life to savour a completely new one.

I believe God will heal me completely of these giddy spells. I have experienced his healing for over 20 years while still technically profoundly deaf. I am claiming His healing today. I believe I can live life to the fullest and continue to be useful in serving others as long as I am around in this world.

May God bless you, readers.Category: Sounding Board, cf_