Anyone who knows me, knows I love butterflies and when you walk through my home it is obvious. They are magnificent creatures! There must be thousands of different ones in the world. The monarch in my photo was having a good time yesterday lighting on my lavender bush. I have seen it around quite a bit but this is the first time I caught it on camera and I just happened to be outside with my friends dog. Timing is everything, isn’t it? What is so special about butterflies you may ask? Everything! They are beautiful for starters and if you watch them, they move rather quickly and unpredictably. Butterflies spend a good deal of their lives in a cocoon waiting to emerge but they are not just sleeping. they start out as caterpillars that are not so beautiful. Like a butterfly, we can spend a good part of our lives similarly. We don’t start out ugly however yet somehow we are not so different. As infants we begin our lives in a womb (type of cocoon) waiting to be ready to emerge. In this stage of life we are hanging out. As babies we start to crawl before we develop our legs to walk. Fast forward: as adults we change frequently and all have our times of not being the beautiful ones we are created to be. Have you felt like you are in a cocoon stage during your adult life? Or have you ever thought about it? I did a little looking around for some fun facts about butterflies as well as lessons we can learn from them. Monarch butterflies such as in my photo can migrate as much as 2,500 miles to find a warm climate. Now that does sound like some folks I’ve met over the years. A quote I happened upon, “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty “– Maya Angelou Isn’t that true? We rarely know the backstory to someones life and are quick to assume they have it made. Or is what we “see” the reality? I have felt as if I’ve been in a cocoon so many times wondering if I truly want to fight to get out or stay in where I’m safe and comfortable. Have you been there? Of course we all come through those stages in life. A life lesson from a butterfly is be patient, we are all growing and changing and it takes time. Things can actually change faster when we are patient with ourselves and others. Our culture is one of hurry up, but hurry is fear in disguise. Be open to change. Ok, I personally don’t like change and you may not either. Change can be very uncomfortable and maybe the butterfly feels the same way but I haven’t had that conversation with one. I’ve read it’s quite a struggle to emerge. Another tip is to be light and free. They flit around without what seems like a care in the world. They go from flower to flower and sip on the sweet nectar. Sounds good to me. Lighten up! You just prevent yourself from enjoying life by worrying and staying on the ground, Are you spontaneous? Butterflies are. They have no agenda and go where they want. Be confident and seize the moments in your life to be the best version of you. Be in the moment. Be present and aware of your surroundings and those you are with, even if it’s your beloved pet. Smell the flowers; catch a glimpse of the sky; take a deep breath. My last fun fact about butterflies is how they got their name supposedly. I read that it actually came from poop – no ‘kidding’ (left the adult word out)! It seems some scientists were observing them and saw their poop looked like butter. I find that hilarious that one of the most beautiful creatures got it’s name from someone observing their poop. That’s it for now so go out and fly…..
