THE BUTTERFLY AND THE PAIR OF SCISSORS












Pic.: Aparna Khanolkar Sheth



Years ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found it very useful – was telling a nice story in two tenses… Past and Present. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people who were earnest to improve their English with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and tell it to someone.

Many years ago, my friend, Manjeet, had shown this slide story to me on his P.C. when I had gone to him to unload some of my life-burden… I came back a lot lighter and wiser, that morning…



THE BUTTERFLY
AND THE PAIR OF SCISSORS



PAST:

One day, a man was watching a butterfly emerging out of the cocoon. The butterfly was emerging very, very slowly. The man could feel the struggle and the pain the butterfly was going through co come out. He was moved to see the painful and slow process of birth… and, he really wanted to help the butterfly to come out painlessly, and fast. He wanted to rescue it from its pain and struggle.

So, he took a pair of scissors and gently cut open the cocoon, so that the butterfly could come out with least pain and fast. It did. However, that butterfly had to live for the rest of its life crippled, unable to fly.


PRESENT:

(One day,) a man is watching a butterfly emerging out of the cocoon. The butterfly is emerging very, very slowly. The man can feel the struggle and the pain the butterfly is going through co come out. He is moved to see the painful and slow process of birth… and, he really wants to help the butterfly to come out painlessly, and fast. He wants to rescue it from its pain and struggle.

So, he takes a pair of scissors and gently cuts open the cocoon, so that the butterfly can come out with least pain and fast. It does. However, that butterfly has to live for the rest of its life crippled, unable to fly.


GERALD D’CUNHA

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