--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People are like moths. First they are…" description: "\"People are like moths. First they are ugly and awkward, until they break out of their shell and become a beautiful butterfly.\" — Drew Barrymore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/drew-barrymore-921_awkward_people-are-like-moths-first-they-are-ugl_968036.jpg" --- # People are like moths. First they are ugly and awkward… ![“People are like moths. First they are ugly and awkward, until they break out of their shell and become a beautiful butterfly.” quote by Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/drew-barrymore-921_awkward_people-are-like-moths-first-they-are-ugl_968036.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/drew-barrymore-921_awkward_people-are-like-moths-first-they-are-ugl_968036.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/drew-barrymore-921_awkward_people-are-like-moths-first-they-are-ugl_968036.jpg) > “People are like moths. First they are ugly and awkward, until they break out of their shell and become a beautiful butterfly.” [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People develop from awkward beginnings to beautiful transformations, like moths becoming butterflies. **In simple terms:** People can grow from awkward to beautiful. Key Takeaway Embrace personal growth and change. Themes growth transformation self‑improvement Mood encouraging reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career development - personal healing - creative projects Key Concepts metamorphosis potential beauty Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to nurture growth? - How do you recognize your own metamorphosis? A Different Perspective Transformation often requires time and effort, not instant change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beautiful butterfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-butterfly/) [Butterfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butterfly/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Maidens, like moths, are ever caught, by glare, And Mammon wins his way where seraphs might despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/maidens-like-moths-are-ever-caught-by-glare-and-mammon-wins-his-way/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [“Like two moths clumsily bumping together, with no more weight than that, their lips touched. Then before they knew how it happened, they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/like-two-moths-clumsily-bumping-together-with-no-more-weight-than/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [Words betrayed her: beautiful butterflies in her mind; dead moths when she opened her mouth for their release into the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/words-betrayed-her-beautiful-butterflies-in-her-mind-dead-moths-when/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [Once again the absurdity of my inner thoughts overwhelms me, and I want to crawl out of my skin, escape my ugly, awkward flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-marion/once-again-the-absurdity-of-my-inner-thoughts-overwhelms-me-and-i/) [Isaac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-marion/) > [I want to be in middle school again. 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The light attracts, and the warmth keeps..people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chirs-njenga/success-is-like-a-dynamo-that-transforms-our-toils-into-energy-that/) Chirs Njenga > [“A bad attitude is like moths, it will eat everything good you have in your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/a-bad-attitude-is-like-moths-it-will-eat-everything-good-you-have-in/) De philosopher DJ Kyos > [“Some girls are pretty, and it’s like they were destined for it. They were meant to be pretty, and as for the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/some-girls-are-pretty-and-it-s-like-they-were-destined-for-it-they/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [“she could see Sylvie and her friends on the lawn below, their dresses fluttering like moths in the encroaching dusk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/she-could-see-sylvie-and-her-friends-on-the-lawn-below-their-dresses/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [“She was always losing customers; it was a miracle she had any left. New ones were always appearing, that was the thing. Her supernatural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-sar-aira/she-was-always-losing-customers-it-was-a-miracle-she-had-any-left-new/) [César Aira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-sar-aira/) > [Even the ugliest caterpillar will become a beautiful butterfly...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-the-ugliest-caterpillar-will-become-a-beautiful-butterfly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He built a small house, called a cocoon, around himself. He stayed inside for more than two weeks. Then he nibbled a hole in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-carle/he-built-a-small-house-called-a-cocoon-around-himself-he-stayed/) [Eric Carle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-carle/) > [We should never judge a person for who they are now because we don't know who they will be tomorrow. remember that a beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-cindy-grace-tuadles/we-should-never-judge-a-person-for-who-they-are-now-because-we-don-t/) Marianne Cindy Grace Tuadles ## More by Drew Barrymore > [My favorite thing about being a mom is just what a better person it makes you on a daily basis,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/my-favorite-thing-about-being-a-mom-is-just-what-a-better-person-it/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [I've produced and gotten to do a lot of optimistic love stories, and that was so where I was at for 10 years in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-ve-produced-and-gotten-to-do-a-lot-of-optimistic-love-stories-and/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [I've always been a homemaker, like, I like creating spaces. Even if I stay in a hotel, I'll unpack, I'll put my books out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-ve-always-been-a-homemaker-like-i-like-creating-spaces-even-if-i/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [I am fundamentally happy. Everyone has experiences that makes them cynical, jaded or unhappy - you just have to fight those things off. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-am-fundamentally-happy-everyone-has-experiences-that-makes-them/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [I've always loved butterflies, because they remind us that it's never too late to transform ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-ve-always-loved-butterflies-because-they-remind-us-that-it-s-never/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [I grew up in a makeup chair, to see! the women around me getting ready was so aspirational, It is about mothers and daughters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-grew-up-in-a-makeup-chair-to-see-the-women-around-me-getting-ready/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [Everything I do, I do infinite percent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/everything-i-do-i-do-infinite-percent/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [I am who I am because of the people who influenced me growing up, and many of them were gay. No one has any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-am-who-i-am-because-of-the-people-who-influenced-me-growing-up-and/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [Falling in love with yourself is kind of interesting. 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It's mostly that I want to have a good job and have good friends;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-m-not-after-fame-and-success-and-fortune-and-power-it-s-mostly-that/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [Producing is so exciting because you can enable things to happen, whether it's like discovering a filmmaker who you're taking a chance on, protecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/producing-is-so-exciting-because-you-can-enable-things-to-happen/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [Indecision is the most unsexy thing on the planet. I dont know if Im sexy but I think decisiveness is sexy. I also lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/indecision-is-the-most-unsexy-thing-on-the-planet-i-dont-know-if-im/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) [Explore all 329 Drew Barrymore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) ## More Awkward quotes > [“I needed to stop staring at his bicep...and chest...and tattoo. Never thought the sun could be so...sexy. Wow. This was awkward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-needed-to-stop-staring-at-his-bicep-and-chest-and-tattoo-never/) [Jennifer L. 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I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-beautiful-the-day-we-met-but-now-i-m-not-so-sure-awkward-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm an American, and always will be. I happen to love that big, awkward, sprawling country very much - and its big, awkward, sprawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jones/i-m-an-american-and-always-will-be-i-happen-to-love-that-big-awkward/) [James Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jones/) > [“That’s some awkward prose right there. Awkward like a Redditor talking to women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-some-awkward-prose-right-there-awkward-like-a-redditor-talking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. 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