We all know change is difficult to accept. Yes, Il Volo started out as the 3 Tenorini, these 3 little tenors dressed up like adults because they sang music only old people knew and liked. The beautiful bel canto music of Italy. But we forget that they were boys dressed up like men. We wanted them to stay the cute, innocent, and cherubic-faced lads we grew to love – for some, love at first sight (or sound!) But time moves on and things change. The world is constantly moving, the universe in perpetual motion, if everything just stopped, we would all die.

The air we breathe, our own heartbeat, our very being is in constant flux. To quote the ancient philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus, “The only thing constant is change!” Our three young guys were just caterpillars feeding and feeding off of the fans, growing and growing fatter each day, nourished by our encouragement and constant praise, their very essence being shaped by our devotion to them until finally they were ready to make and form their own chrysalis, where they’ve been for the last several years, constantly growing and changing right before our eyes. In front of everyone, we watched them change from inside the ever protective watch of their parents and families. Many things we saw and yet some things changed without our realizing it. When Sanremo came around, that was when they started to emerge from their metamorphosis, their wings getting more color each day, each week, and month, that went by, on their way to Eurovision – then it really happened. Their wings burst forth and they flew for the very first time.  I can still hear the crescendo of their wings on the last chorus of Grande Amore!  Their wings were still a bit wet, but they learned to fly stronger and stronger each day. During their flight they ran into enemies and feared for those that wanted to eat them. They fed on the nectar of the crowds from their sold out concerts. Their wings getting a bit battered along the way; yet still staying strong and floating on the wind, as they traversed over the world with their successes.

We hope their flight will be long and never changing, but their flight paths will change with the wind, their fans may come and go, but still they will fly on, always seeking the energy from their fans that keep them going – young, old; tried and true. They will be who they are, their colors will not change. A little battered and bruised along the way, but they will find their destination, landing briefly on our hearts; staying forever in our souls, as they migrate the world in search of their needed and constant approval of themselves and from those that they love.

There are two quotes I found on the Internet, simply entitled “butterfly quotes and proverbs” and I think they depict our guys quite well…

“How does one become a butterfly? You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.”

“Butterflies can’t see their wings. They can’t see how beautiful they are, but everyone else can. People are like that.”

They certainly gave up being caterpillars. With their first notes of “O Sole Mio,” they started changing into butterflies; giving up many things…in order to soar to unbelievable heights.

Beautiful? Our guys are so beautiful inside, as well as outside; and sometimes I really don’t think they know…?

♦ Il Volo – Sempre, per sempre,♦

Jana  ♥

p.s.  thank you to Marie, for the beautifully suggested title of this post…