Having a learning disability has been like the butterfly going through Metamorphosis. Every butterfly goes through the same life cycle: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and then transforms into a butterfly. Just as the butterfly transforms through this process, I, too, needed to grow, change, and become the person that I am today. The first phase is the egg phase. The egg looks like a speck of dirt. I was diagnosed with a learning disability early on in my school years. My Kindergarten teacher saw that I was struggling to count, tie my shoes, and do math. The second phase of a butterfly's life cycle is the caterpillar stage. During this phase, the caterpillar grows rapidly and sheds its skin. My school years were a struggle for me academically and socially. To help me learn, I received specialized instruction and accommodations. Accommodations such as having the test read aloud and extra test time gave my brain extra time to process and better comprehend information. Even with the academic support, I still struggled to learn and was frustrated. All I wanted to do was learn like my peers and make my parents proud of me. I was able to understand and was put into all regular education classes, except for math and the resource room in high school. I also found subjects I was good at, such as reading and writing. Socially, my school years were a struggle for me as well. I had difficulty making friends and was bullied for having a disability. In regular education classes, my peers saw that I struggled and that I went to learning support. In learning support, most of my peers struggled with reading, not math, and I was bullied there, too. The next stage in the life cycle in the life cycle of a butterfly is the chrysalis stage. During this phase, it spins a protective chrysalis where it changes and grows. During my college years, it was when I began to develop my chrysalis. I was told that I would not be able to go to college, get my bachelor's degree, or have the job I wanted. I retreated into my chrysalis and put forth the hard work. It was not always easy, and I wanted to give up. But I did not give up and kept growing. The next phase in the life cycle is when the butterfly reaches maturity. The butterfly pushes out of its chrysalis and becomes a fully grown butterfly ready to fly. I emerged out of my chrysalis and was able to graduate with a bachelor's degree. The last phase in the life cycle of a butterfly is laying eggs, for future butterflies to be able to grow. The butterfly will lay her eggs on flowers, and the cycle continues. I get the chance to inspire the students that I work with as a para-educator in a school. I find it rewarding to work with students who have disabilities and encourage them to go after their dreams. Each phase of my life cycle has shaped me into the person that I am today. The egg phase laid the beginnings of my journey. The caterpillar phase helped me to learn and grow. The chrysalis provided the protection. The butterfly stage is when I get to see accomplishments push forward. I now work to help others by encouraging struggling students and sharing my story.