Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Five Butterflies Fluttered Bye

I remember as a child the awesome sight of millions of Monarch butterflies migrating up the east coast in the Spring.

One year that orange cloud, pushed by strong winds, had strayed over the Atlantic shore as I was sitting on the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey. Thousands of the poor butterflies fell in the ocean and we children ran into the water to rescue them; bringing them to our blankets and beach chairs, in hopes their wings would dry and they could continue their journeys.

A child's dreaming fantasy.

A few moments ago, while standing in my kitchen, five small, orange butterflies fluttered by my window on some unknown journey, chasing each other in a springtime procession.

How does one distinguish between tears of joy and tears of sadness? Somewhere an 8-year old may see those five flying flowers and feel the same joy I felt at seeing the millions as their numbers cast a shadow over the beach.

Will we ever see an orange cloud again and marvel at the millions of wings that create it? I hope so, I truly hope so.