The Stages of Flight

Dear Impossible Readers,

I usually appreciate change because I think that without it, nothing evolves and progress stalls. The real questions are: what exactly constitutes a change? When do changes bring benefits? When are they detrimental? When are they simply unnecessary? And do we truly need to change at all?

Not everything needs constant modification. Often, resistance can serve as a valuable asset. If everyone were easily swayed, the world would be in chaos. Thus, it takes as much determination to initiate change as to stay steady.

Change is more than just movement. It is a purposeful transformation. Like a butterfly, not every stage is visible or glamorous. There is the egg, quiet and unremarkable. The caterpillar, ravenous and restless. And the chrysalis, which seems lifeless. From the outside, nothing seems to happen, but internally, everything is being broken down and rebuilt. Change often appears as stagnation before taking flight. We usually see the cocoon as an ending, but in reality, it is a period of negotiation between what was and what could be.

Every stage of the butterfly’s development serves a purpose. The caterpillar does not rush its hunger. Instead, it must eat, grow, and understand its body’s limits before it can even imagine having wings. The chrysalis is not merely a break but a process of refinement. Old parts dissolve to make way for stronger ones. When the butterfly finally emerges, it is not just changed, but fully prepared. Its gains in one stage lay the groundwork for the next. Without the patience involved in growth and the silent discipline of transformation, flight would be impossible.

So, what defines a change? It might not be the act of becoming different, but the willingness to be undone. Good change broadens us. It sharpens our vision, deepens our empathy, and enables us to act with greater purpose. Bad change, however, fractures without rebuilding. It is movement driven by fear rather than purpose, alteration for the sake of escape. Some changes are unnecessary, like tearing open a cocoon before the wings have developed. Interruption masquerading as progress.

Do we really need to change? Not necessarily. Roots are as important as wings. The tree does not envy the butterfly, nor does the butterfly regret being a caterpillar. Growth requires both progress and patience, understanding when to adapt and when to remain steadfast. When chosen intentionally, resistance is not stagnation but a form of stability. An affirmation that not everything delicate needs altering, and not everything complete requires fixing.

This balance embodies wisdom. Knowing when to shed skin or stand firm, and honouring change as a deliberate, necessary act. It is earned and irreversible, like metamorphosis.

Even still, we grow,
Yours Possibly

Further Reading

Belles, X., 2017. MicroRNAs and the evolution of insect metamorphosis. Annual Review of Entomology, 62(1), pp.111-125.
Jackson, J.J. and Wright, A.J., 2024. The process and mechanisms of personality change. Nature Reviews Psychology, 3(5), pp.305-318.
Sheeran, P., Klein, W.M. and Rothman, A.J., 2017. Health behavior change: Moving from observation to intervention. Annual review of psychology, 68(1), pp.573-600.