On a Butterfly's Wings

A dear friend of mine suffered a tremendous loss in her family today. It's been an inevitability, but that has made it no less difficult.

I am so sad for her and her family. They had such strong and fervent hope for a different outcome; I think everyone who knew the story did.

And to me, it remains a story of hope, of limitless courage.

With my heart heavy, I turned to my own source of solace and created an image for my friend. As I did, the words that follow formed in my mind. And I feel in my heart that this is what truly comes to pass...

Swallowtail was born and looked around the garden in sadness. All was bright color around her while she was plain and dull. She lamented that she lacked the prismatic colors of her peers. When she learned that her life was to be only a few days long, she was devastated.

A gentle voice spoke to her from above. "Weep not. gentle butterfly. I have not given you the colors of your sisters nor the long life of your brothers, but I give you instead the most important job in my garden. For you, sweet spirit, are to carry upon your wings the souls which are called from their lives too soon."

Swallowtail bowed her humble head. And in time, she performed her most important job...

In memory of a beautiful, little life...