Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Blog (10/20/11)
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TITLE: Butterflies, Frogs, Blogs, and a Twinkle | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lillian Rhoades
11/02/11 -
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One day in early spring, caterpillars descended on our town like Pharaoh’s plague times two. Creeping and crawling, and eating away at nature’s plans for a multi-colored mountainside come fall. They dotted the side of the house, hugged stair rails, and thought nothing of taking up residence on hair and a hat, or two. A few managed to make their way into the house through the front and back doors. Somehow, I managed to get through those “is there one on me” days until summer finally came to my rescue, and those repulsive creatures turned into beautiful, brilliant, multi-colored butterflies. Yes, we lost a lot of trees that year.
Less detrimental to the environment and my peace of mind, the transformation of tadpoles is no less spectacular than that of a caterpillar. Since water is their changing closet, they’re no threat to any one who loves a mountainside awash in fall foliage and dislikes uninvited pests.
Eventually, tadpoles leave behind their home in the pond and emerge as frogs ready to take on the real world, sporting only minor remnants of their former life. Never again to be as they began.
Blogs, like butterflies and frogs, also have an impressive metamorphic history. At one time, they were encased in a diary, written for the singular eye and often sealed behind a tiny lock. Today, they have come out of the closet, emerged from under beds and hallowed, secret dresser drawers. Private journals, personal journeys, and secret memoirs have gone viral; thoughts gone techie and opinions flung out into cyberspace.
With fond memories, I remember the diary where I wrote my first “blog.” A picture of Snow White decorated the pink cover, and she was the only person who knew what lay behind a small, plastic covered book with a tiny key dangling from a gold lock that protected my secret thoughts. I was mortified at the thought of anyone sharing my private notes.
Times have changed. Like beautiful, varied colored butterflies that flutter from one source of nectar to another doing what nature commands, or like frogs with variegated stripes that hip hop through any muddy pond in sight waiting to rid the world of one less bug, Blogs have invaded our culture with a designed destiny; a specific penchant to influence the world. In a real sense they pollinate the world with news, musings, and opinions on any subject man can conjure up.
Are blogs here to stay, or will they go the way of butterflies and frogs with limited life spans? The answer is obvious, or is it?
When spring rolled around the following year, a new generation of pests arrived sans invitation. I was greatly relieved to find their visit vastly modified from the previous year. Just like the generation before them, they also eventually exchanged their furry coats for butterfly wings. And, in similar fashion as their predecessors, this new breed of butterflies fluttered around from three to six weeks before their demise. That next spring, the cycle began again.
Frogs live much longer than butterflies – the longest record is forty years, although the estimated average is four to six years. Every year tadpoles are born, and every year, somewhere in the world, another frog finally croaks. The cycle never ends.
Will blogs go the way of butterflies and frogs? Yes, butterflies, frogs and blogs share a peculiar permanency that defies extinction. They are here to stay. Some blogs will be short-lived butterfly blogs, only to be replaced by another blog; others will survive as frog blogs with longer staying power.
The cycle goes on. As long as the Internet exists, as long as there’s a thought aching to be expressed, every year new blogs will emerge. With the press of modern technology, the name has evolved from diaries, journals, and columns to blogs and might change again. Still, a blog by any other name will always be a blog, and the cycle of permanence rooted in change will continue for blogs, butterflies, and frogs, until that time comes when all who believe shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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Your metaphors are perfect and you develop them nicely but there are too many thoughts and themes here vying for my attention. I hsve the same problem when I write essays (that often end up as blogs). I run them by my writing buddy and she helps me develp a tighter focus.
Make that ending pop by aiming this piece more clearly in that direction. A very thoughtful piece.
For me personally, I'm not sure you needed to add the twinkle part. You did such an outstanding job withyour analogy that I can't imagine anyone not getting the message. Although people haven't been able to understand my message in my story. There's a fine line between overexplaining for those who don't get it and allowing the story to speak for itself. You straddled that line like a Master!
Now the song, Bullfrogs and Butterflies is stuck in my head!
I kept waiting for the massive array of colorful butterflies to take flight! With the build up of the overwhelming number of caterpillars, I thought surely it would go to the wonder of the butterflies fluttering about in all their glory. Maybe that was just me. :)
I have to say, I started to lose a little bit of interest by the end, maybe because of what another reviewer mentioned about so many thoughts and themes.
I do love how your words flow so beautifully. Wonderful piece of writing.
I enjoyed it - God bless~
Nearer the end, your thoughts began to repeat themselves. "Will blogs go the way of butterflies and frogs?"
Although the thought of being changed at the coming of Christ goes with your theme, you barely mentioned it without explanation. I hoped you could have elaborated more on it.
Great imagery and analogies! Keep it up!