Hunger: the desire for food. Have you ever been in extreme starvation? Perhaps in desire of something? Craving? Perhaps you’ve had. Food is what keeps us alive, moving, excelling. However, sometimes hunger cannot be satisfied with just feeding the stomach. Maybe it can stop the grumbling, but not the desire of something, anything. Sometimes you can’t really identify what you're feeling hungry for. You eat, eat, eat, but the sensation of hunger still prevails. 

Satisfaction was never an option. The moment we come to be in this world, the moment we see the blinding light of the world, the cold air, we are hungry. The cries of our birth are for hunger. Our body alerts us if we feel discomfort, if we feel hungry. But hunger is more than feeding ourselves, it’s a call for desire, a need, a passion. 

Desire: a strong feeling of possessing something. I like to think that hunger and desire mean the same thing, but in different ways. Hunger is pleading, asking. While desire is demanding, almost taking it. Hunger leads to desiring, it never stops, just evolves. The sensation still prevails, except now you are doing something about it. You take, take, take. Filling yourself with all your thirst. You’re applauded, congratulated. You feel satisfaction for the first time, but get interrupted as you feel an extra stomach grow. Another one. Another stomach to feed. Another desire, another need.

Once again satisfaction was unattainable. You carry your guilt inside. Transport it from place to place. Wondering why you aren’t content, why you crave more. The screams coming from inside embarrass you. Are you selfish? Egocentric? Self-centered? What do other people think of ME? Do they think I AM selfish? Perhaps a narcissist? Desire, hunger, it kills slowly, but you won’t notice it. 

Starvation: suffering or death caused by hunger. The more you “consume” the more you come closer to starvation, to death. To the end of a passion. A mirage, an illusion. An illusion in which you see the end of this exhausting need. Like a caterpillar reaching its goal, its cycle. Where the ugly caterpillar turns into a whimsical butterfly after consuming everything in its path.

All this yearning has belittled your mind and your soul. More and more stomachs grow regardless of the motive. Your body looking rough and skimpy, pleading for more and more. The ugly caterpillar slithers down slowly to find a place to rest and contemplate, to build its cocoon. The stage of consuming is over. The stomachs are vanishing in thin air, leaving no trace. Silk wrapped carefully around the once hungry, hideous caterpillar waiting for glamour. 

The once starving, unpleasing caterpillar was now an ethereal butterfly. A butterfly flying around peacefully, showing its colorful pair of wings to those who are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this sated butterfly. 

All this caterpillar had to do was rest. To become a magnificent butterfly after the monstrous stages of hunger, desire, starvation. We all need a moment to rest, we all need a cocoon moment. To know that in order to reach your destination – the pulchritudinous butterfly– you must pass through the ravenous hungry caterpillar. Because hunger is not only a desire for food, but the desire to be the best version of yourself.