The two caterpillars

Two caterpillars on the same leaf,

One full of life and hope and the other one full of regret and grief.

She lived in the present, embracing the little things.

He lived in the past, unable to face his gloomy present reality.

His bleeding heart, she would heal,

with words of comfort and wisdom too wise for her age,

like bandages, the wounds they would seal.

Sibling by birth and mother by the bond they shared, he considered himself lucky to have her in his life.

He was dead on the inside, with no motivation to exist in the cold blooded world of his a few years ago.

She had that Midas touch and everything she touched would become gold.

Her care and affection changed his life forever,

He no longer yearned to meet the Grim Reaper.

She had given him hope, a desire to live.

His monochrome world finally had color.

He now felt loved and happy for the first time.

He would feel safe in her arms, where the oceans of sorrow disappeared and the land of gold reappeared.

A few months later, she bid farewell and retreated into her cocoon,

leaving him to fend for himself, alone in the cold.

One week later she emerged out into the world and had become a butterfly, destined to fly high.

The poor kid broke into tears,

The person he had loved so much had grown so beautiful in front of his eyes and 

now had to part ways from him.

She now had wings to take her beyond the blue skies,

before she departed, 

"Stay strong, "she told him, pulled him into an embrace and reassured him that he will be alright.

After she had left, the caterpillar thought to himself....

"It’s like I met her yesterday and she left me as a stranger today. 

So many memories she had gifted me,

In my head, I would replay.

My heart desires to forget them so my heart wouldn’t sink,

But I know these memories shaped me and without them I’m just a hollow brick.

Watching her grow up hurts a lot,

But her smile at the end of the day is like a bullet to my head.

That feeling of peace and contentment from that smile is when you realize even 

That pain in your heart is soothing as long as that smile never frowns."

He went back to his leaf,

the words "stay strong" echoing through his ears and mind,

reminding him where he used to be and where he is right now.
He began to chomp away at his leaf for his daily dose of dopamine,
Hoping to turn into a butterfly one day.