Transformation...

I saw this painting on a website recently and it immediately made me think of the spiritual nature of recovery from addiction.

Painted by Victor Bregeda in 2004, Transformation is a painting that looks at first glance to be just a decorative piece of artwork. There are very bright blossoms in the branches of a tree in the center that seems to be springing from the pages of a book. It's colors are pleasant, soothing and inviting.

But, soon, an intense look at the painting reveals much more than decorative art. After a while, one sees that the blossoms are really butterflies. And, there is a man, standing on a great hand that is fluttering the pages of the book, who seems to be poking at the butterfly/blossoms. The man appears to have gotten to the top by climbing a ladder. The fluttering pages suggest change and, when one sees a caterpillar crawling in the background, one is reminded how butterflies come to be.

The profound, secret meaning of the painting is then revealed...the metamorphosis from the slow-going caterpillar to the beautiful winged butterfly symbolizes the immortality and transformation of man's soul on the way to God. And, God, whose hand flips through the pages of life to reveal the caterpillars and butterflies, allows man to stand high after climbing up the ladder of life. It's as if there is some divine dialogue going on here between man and God. Here, revealing life's true meaning through flipping the pages of life before him, God is turning over the pages of His scared words. He is revealing the secrets of the universe through the symbols of a delicate, but hearty butterfly, that is being probed by the small figure of man who is trying to figure out how the butterfly became transformed from the caterpillar.

We are seekers of truth and we strive to understand the world that God has revealed to us through our ordinary experience of life. Some of us are cynical and refuse to accept that mankind has spiritually evolved from an Earth-based nature (the caterpillar) to the Heavenly-based potential (the butterfly) in every person's life.  Some do not see the beauty inherent in this transformation of the spirit. Some refuse to accept that the point upon which they stand (the hand of God itself) is a vantage point that will allow them to see the entire universe unfold before them in beauty and grandeur.

At this stage of my life and recovery it is important to me to acknowledge and validate the wonderful feeling of connectedness to this butterfly universe that courses through my mind and body. In many respects, I feel a profound sense of sadness and loss for those who have not found this in their own lives. But, I urge anyone seeking a better life to continue to strive, like the caterpillar, and look forward to the transformation.

All the best, Roger W.