Now if you were to see this creature happily munching away on your beautiful milkweed plant, you would, without further identification, be tempted to get the spray and put an end to it, especially when it appears in large numbers, all chomping away at the same time.
Something about this creature was so magnificent that I paused to think about the cycle of life. Yes, the Monarch butterfly is beautiful, but it could not exist without this little creature happily munching away in preparation for its creating a cocoon to become something even more exquisite.
Life is full of surprises, isn’t it? We never know how things will turn out. I remember well the song, Que Sera, Sera, when the girl singing is asking her mother whether she will be beautiful and loved when she grow up, and her mother tells her “Que Sera, Sera . . .” (Whatever will be, will be.) So perhaps in the destruction, perhaps temporary, of the beautiful milkweed plant that nourishes the Monarch butterfly, it too will return after its purpose is accomplished. I noted how many seed pods opened up and let the seeds with their fine feathery parts fly away to start more milkweeds. I know now that this is a beautiful life cycle that I will never fully understand, but I will always support for the rest of my life.
I have already decided to give my body to Science Care when I am gone so that perhaps just one part of me can help to nourish or make possible someone else’s life. My significant other, Richard, told me that his son was horrified when he told him that Richard and I are both donating our bodies. I guess my dead body could nourish the earth too as it decays and becomes fertilizer, but perhaps another human being needs desperately something, and I would love to see life go on. . .
P.S. For those of you who read Part I of a post below by Steve Tanham of the UK, you can read Part II under Sun in Gemini. Thank you kindly.
All in a Day's Breath 
Awesome photos to compliment the cycle of life. Your post reminded me of the children’s book ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. I have also fond memories of visiting a Butterfly Sanctuary in Penang. 🦋
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I love that story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the children loved it as one of their favorites. Oh, I bet that was lovely to visit the Butterfly Sanctuary in Panang. Were you in the service or were you teaching there or??? It is always really wonderful to get to visit other parts of the world. Thank you kindly. I hope you are having a great week! Anne always
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I worked as a Registered Nurse , now retired. In 2012 I travelled alone and went to Kaula Limpa and Penang for a ten day holiday, I had a wonderful time. I live in Brisbane, it’s now Sunday morning 8.11am. What part of the world the world do you live in Anne? Day of rest for me. Enjoy yourself whatever you are doing. Cheers from Ally 🌷🌺😀
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It’s interesting that you should be writing about butterflies. I was talking to my friend (the one who got “lost” in the woods with me) and she told me about how the butterfly I took a photo of that day had really got her thinking and eventually the Lord spoke to her about something that really ministered to her. A few nights later, at prayer meeting, one of the other intercessors stood behind her, put her hands on her shoulders and sang over her. Later she told my friend that she felt it was as if the Holy Spirit was fluttering over her like a butterfly. That really touched her, and she keeps running across things with butterflies since then. I will tell her about this post. She probably won’t come to read it as she isn’t online much (she doesn’t have internet). Thanks for sharing a beautiful truth.
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Thank you so kindly. Yes, the butterfly is a symbol of transformation and that clearly must have happened to her. How wonderful. I remember many years ago, I was sitting under the shade of a plum tree in Deming, NM, taking the words down of a very elderly man who was born in South Africa and lived there with his parents who were missionaries I think. Anyway, as we sat there in the shade, a butterfly landed on his chest and it did not move away. It was so beautiful and I thought God must be there. It stayed the longest time, and then it went down to the table in front of us, landed, and fell over dead. When I looked at it closely, a cactus spine had punctured it, and killed it, but the fact that it came to him first seemed very much something to pay attention. The old man died shortly after that of natural causes, So it is possible that butterflies are messengers from God, or even a form of Angels. They certainly seem spiritual and definitely a sign that something is changing in our lives. Thank you again.
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Beautiful story, Anne.
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Hi Ally, Good for you, You are doing something I always wanted to do, but my mom believed that women were intended to meet men, get married and have children and so I didn’t get to college right away. Years and many tears later, I live now in the U.S. in Southern California in a town called Yucaipa, a part of something called the Inland Empire. It is sort of in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, and there are a lot of canyons here. Thank you kindly too.
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Beautiful Anne. They sure have a great appetite. 🙂
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That they do, but I imagine that it takes a lot to become such a beautiful creature.
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A butterfly always reminds us cycle of life. It forces us to think about our life and contribution to the world. It needs immence courage to donate ourselves. God bless you!
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Thank you so kindly, Deeksha. That is a lovely thought and that is what I am trying to do with my life.
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You are doing great Anne, and I am sure everyone around yourself would be so proud of you!
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Thank you most kindly, Deeksha. We can all benefit from hearing this.
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Beautiful post, Anne!
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Beautiful you too! Special for all of us. Thank you for always being who you are. You bring so much light into the lives of so many, and especially the little ones. That is the most important for all of us. Oh, all the milkweed plants grew back their green within a week after being devoured! See, best to leave nature to what it knows how to do best.
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