The Moth and the Apple

Once upon a time there was a moth who lived in the Great Plains of Oklahoma. Little Miss Moth had a happy childhood and picture perfect life but for some reason she flittered and fluttered around unable to find true contentment. She felt average and boring and often, invisible to those around her. She flew around from flower to flower, bush to bush, tree to tree - doing the things that all little moths do but found no meaning to her existence. She enjoyed talking to the other moths and beetles and ladybugs but still felt very much alone in spite of knowing she had a nice number of bug friends who cared for her.

One day, she encountered a spider. He was very friendly and knew all the right things to say. She even began to think that he was a very attractive bug. She spent more and more time with him all the while oblivious to the fact that his silky smooth demeanor was drawing her in and wrapping her in his feathery web little by little. One day, she decided she might be spending a little too much time with Mr. Spider and tried to go back to her other little bug friends but found she was trapped! She struggled and fought to get free of that web entanglement but got only further entwined. Eventually she found the strength to gradually break free and she got away from the horrible web, only to find that feathery remnants of the web remained attached to her wings and hindered her flight. She could not seem to rid her wings of the web remnants but decided she could continue on in spite of the burden.

Life was hard with the burden of the web still upon her wings. She decided it might be best to take a break from flittering and fluttering around and built herself a nice, cozy coccoon. Her coccoon was nestled in an old oak tree across from an orchard where the afternoon sun shone brightly. Every afternoon, Little Miss Moth would peek out of the pinhole in her coccoon where she could see just a tiny glimpse of red hue. She wondered what that red might be. It enthralled her. She was so intrigued by that color, that she wanted to know more. Little by little, each day the sun seemed to shine a little brighter into her coccon and the little pinhole seemed to open a little bigger. Every morning she could see a little bit more of the attractive red item until she finally was able to make out just what it was - an apple! A beautiful round, red, juicy apple that reflected the rays of the afternoon sun so brilliantly that she yearned to see it up close. As the pinhole became bigger, Little Miss Moth began to think that maybe, just maybe she could leave the coccoon. She would see a little more of the apple each day until she saw the way out. The coccoon began to crumble. She was free! Free to go see the apple. As she hovered there on the branch of the big old oak tree, fear overcame her. What if she fell on her flight over to the apple? What if she got to the apple and it was a disappointment? What if the apple disappeared before she got there? As she hovered, she decided that she must at least try to see this apple and off she soared.

As she flew, she began to see glimpses of light that she had never seen before. She noticed her wings seemed to work better and they had increased in size and might. The web remnants were gone! Not only was the web no longer captivating her, but her wings were now beautiful and full of color! How did this happen? How could she have changed so much in so little time? As she arrived at the apple tree it dawned on her. It had to have been the apple! The apple reflected the brilliance of the sunlight in such a way that she was able to make little changes over time that helped to clear the webs from her wings and cultivate splashes of color that beautified her flight. She bent down, and for the first time, was able to see the beautiful apple up close. And the apple was everything she had hoped and imagined. It was not without flaw but it was clear the imperfections only gave it character. It was the perfect shade of red. Getting to know the apple had changed her and finally getting to touch it made her feel complete. She thanked God for the apple even if she knew the it was not meant for her. Before she took flight, she bent down and gave it a tender kiss.

It was difficult for her to leave the apple. She had no idea if the apple would still be there when she returned. She knew someone else might come and pick the apple but she also knew the apple needed just a little more time to ripen before it could break free from the tree. She also needed to fly. She needed to strengthen those beautiful wings and learn to fly with freedom - without the cumbersome burden of the web. So she said her goodbyes to the apple and as she took off she prayed that someday they would meet again... You see the apple wasn't just beautiful and wonderful - the apple also inspired Little Miss Moth to be a butterfly. She would never forget the apple and would consider him forever in her heart.