I can’t remember when I started being afraid. I know that my kindergarten class kept a caterpillar and watched it turn into a butterfly. I remember it trying to flap its very wet wings and not getting too far. But I don’t remember being scared of it.

I remember being in Europe with my family when I was 10 and a giant butterfly landing on my sister’s shoe. It was huge, and looked like it had eyes on its wings. I was definitely disgusted and scared of it by then.

Now I can’t stand the summer.

My roommates hate me because I won’t let them leave the door open to the deck for fear that moths will come in. My friends make fun of me when I run away if I see a butterfly coming towards me in a field. I am completely incapacitated when a moth comes into the room – I have to lock myself in another room until someone has dispatched of it. When I come home at night in the summer, I have to walk around to a door where there is no light, so I don’t have to go by moths.

Someday I hope to overcome this fear, but I am too scared to start that process.

- Catherine -