The Caterpillar Mentality by Grace

The Caterpillar Mentality by Grace - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

During my toddler years, I was the world’s pickiest eater. Whether it was yogurt, grilled cheese, or Cheerios, nearly every meal placed on the tray of my highchair ended up being flung to the floor. Most days I would only deign to eat vanilla ice cream, and as my parents’ first child, this obstinate eating behavior presented a unique challenge to them.
One night as I was getting ready for bed, my mom told me that she had a new book for us to read. As much as I hated food, I certainly loved a good bedtime story! Hoping for a new princess book, I excitedly hopped into bed. Much to my dismay, my mom pulled out A Very Hungry Caterpillar. I flipped through the cardboard pages, and took in the colorful images of a caterpillar eating all different types of food. I was absolutely outraged. How dare this caterpillar be able to eat anything he wanted?
Over the next few months, my parents were relentless in reading me this story. Although I had initially despised the caterpillar, I eventually came to admire him. He woke up hungry, and so he ate and ate until he was satisfied. Inspired by this insect, I gradually began to sample foods other than my beloved vanilla ice cream. And for the last fourteen years, whenever I am faced with the opportunity to try something new, I remember the lessons in curiosity a fictional caterpillar taught a stubborn three-year-old girl.