Read the excerpt from "The Caterpillar and the Butterfly.” Having said this in so low a tone of voice that you would not have heard him had you been standing close by, he flew far away, so far that neither you nor I could have followed him with our eyes. As for the happy-faced, little, black-eyed woman, she did not even know that he had been near her, for her eyes were fastened on her book, as usual. But the small, green, caterpillars must have heard, for they went on crawling and nibbling cabbage-leaves quite contentedly, and not one of them was ever heard to complain of having to be a caterpillar, though occasionally one and then another of them would lift his head, and I doubt not he was thinking of the time when he, too, should become a beautiful white butterfly. Which describes the author’s message in this excerpt? Being preoccupied keeps a person from recognizing important events. Sacrifices made for others are meaningful and appreciated. Putting personal needs first brings happiness. Being careless can easily hurt others.