A Boy, a Butterfly, or a Dream: A Fable of Self-Worth

Once, there was a boy named Dillan who often felt uncertain about his place in the world. He spent his days reading or running around, but never doing anything he deemed “important.” Over time, this thought consumed him, and he began to wonder if he mattered at all. Determined to find answers, Dillan decided to ask the people around him whether they thought he was important.

The next morning, he set off for town, promising his brother he’d return in two days. When Dillan arrived, he approached everyone he knew and posed the question: “Do you think I’m important?” But no one gave him a clear answer—they all dodged the question. Feeling dejected, Dillan returned home a day early and asked his brother the same thing. His brother, too, avoided the question. That night, Dillan went to bed with a heavy heart.

When he awoke the next morning, something extraordinary had happened—Dillan was no longer a boy but a radiant butterfly. He flew through the air, light and free, until he stumbled upon a group of butterflies who greeted him warmly. They recognized him immediately and brought him to their vibrant community. Curious, Dillan asked, “Do you think I’m important?” The butterflies all said yes, but one among them asked, “Why is it so important for you to hear this from others?”

Dillan explained, “When I was human, no one thought I was important. All I wanted was to matter.” The wise butterfly replied, “In our world, everyone is important. We know who we are and how we contribute to the balance of life. That’s what makes us valuable.” Comforted by these words, Dillan went to sleep.

The next morning, Dillan woke up human once more. Confused, he told his brother what had happened, but his brother dismissed it as nonsense. Dillan returned to bed, and when he woke again, he found himself back in the butterfly world. For two months, Dillan oscillated between being a butterfly and a boy, unsure of which was his true self. In the end, he decided he was a butterfly because it made him feel important.

One day, the butterflies stopped greeting him. Alarmed, Dillan sought out the wise butterfly and asked why everyone was ignoring him. The wise butterfly looked at him and said, “Dillan, do you truly know what you are?”

“Yes,” Dillan replied confidently. “I am a beautifully important butterfly.”

The wise butterfly shook his head. “No, Dillan. You are a human, and you are important just as you are. You don’t need anyone to tell you that.”

The next morning, Dillan woke up as a boy and remained that way. He stayed in his room, reflecting on the butterfly’s words. Finally, he decided, “I am an important little boy who matters to this world, and that’s enough.”

And so Dillan came to understand his worth. Whether he was a boy, a butterfly, or merely dreaming, he realized that his importance came from within. But how do I know this, you ask? It’s simple—I was the butterfly who asked Dillan the questions and gave him the answers he sought.