Social (R)evolution

Science says homo sapiens have evolved from an earlier form of species – the ape is it? Well, it’s not important. I think what human beings should have truly evolved from are butterflies. Think about it… they’re born as caterpillars, live inside a cocoon, and finally metamorphosis into a beautiful form… pollinating one flower to the next – much like us.

We’re born crawling around, live a sheltered life (as many of my fellow South Asian friends can attest), and finally (with the help of make-up and digital age), we transform into beautiful creatures. But the most striking similarity lies in our nature to act as – you guessed it – a social butterfly. We walk in and out of people’s lives – more often than not – unannounced.
You never know when a stranger will turn into a friend… and vice versa. Sometimes people come into our lives and plant the seeds to a lifelong relationship, and you watch it blossom together through the years. But relationships – much like real flowers – can wilt and die; and I’ve witnessed and endured many such relationships. People will come and people will go. Ok, let me rephrase that: people will come, people will go, and some will keep coming back like the common cold.

But have you ever wondered, that if you were to meet the people you’ve been friends with for years – today – would you still become friends? Lucky for my close friends, the answer is yes (of course, they’re reading this so it’s an obligatory statement). Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about certain individuals (don’t worry, if you’re reading this, then it’s not you). I realized today how important it is to truly grow yourself before you try to grow up with someone else. You often meet someone during the prime raging-hormones stage in life, and after years of movies, dinners, parties, and trips together… you realize this person is nothing you ever wanted – yet suddenly everything you need. You often become blinded by your comfort zone that you fail to see how truly uncanny your relationship is.

So unless if you truly do live inside a cocoon, you will invariably meet various people in your life. (And if you’re on myspace, your odds of meeting people are dramatically improved). Everyone that walks into your life plays a role – albeit, some play the lead while others serve as the extra. But no matter what, everyone will leave a mark and make a difference – yes, even the mailman. There are those that you’ll call when you just need a drink – and those that you’ll call after you’ve had one too many. There will be that one that you just can’t forget – and the one whose name you can’t recall. And finally, there will be those who stand as the wind beneath your wings – and those that will knock the wind right out of you.