This is the story of the butterfly, in my words, based on the research and information from others…
Once upon a time, a caterpillar began her life on a leaf.
Caterpillars are born to eat! And they eat and eat and eat, every possible moment you’ll find them munching on a leaf. Caterpillars live their lives right near where they hatched. They aren’t much for traveling.
But one day, their hormones start doing some weird things and the fat little caterpillar creates a chrysalis and starts to transform into what she was born to do – FLY!
As part of that transformation, the caterpillar literally dies.
It becomes a gooey glob of stuff that reforms itself into a butterfly. Arguably one of the most beautiful creatures in nature.


When the time is right, the butterfly fights its way out of its protective chrysalis. If someone, like a scientist, interferes and tries to ease the burden of breaking free, the butterfly will live but it will NEVER BE ABLE TO FLY!
It is the act of breaking free that gives the butterfly’s wings the strength to fly.
Once free, the butterfly’s wings hang limp and useless. Her abdomen is hugely extended with fluid. Pumping fluid from her abdomen into her wings, lets them expand and spread. You can’t rush flying!
While the caterpillar was a voracious eater and lived to eat, the butterfly lives to reproduce and sustains itself on tiny sips of nectar.
What a tremendous and transformative journey!
Just like the journey incarcerated women face.
They must let their old selves die to transform into the women they were meant to be!