Chasing Butterflies

When I was a little girl I had this goal; I wanted so much to have a butterfly land on me. I thought it would be so neat to have it sit there and let me see it's beautiful wings up close. I tried over and over again to sit as still as I could among flowers where they fluttered; anxiously waiting for them to mistake me for a flower and land. I'd get impatient and try to catch one in my hands, but that failed to work too. Disappointed, I would give up for the day only to try again the following one. I thought about trying to trap it with a net or container but I didn't want to accidentally injure it. I just wanted to admire it.

As I got older this was no longer an immediate goal. I'd watch them flutter and dance by but didn't make an effort to have them land on me.


Years ago when Jon and I first started dating we were both working in the middle of the mountains. The majority of our dates those first several months were hikes on our time off.

One afternoon we went to a lake nearby. After hiking the trail around the entire thing, we sat down to enjoy the view of the mountains. While we were sitting there it happened. Butterflies flew up and started landing on us.

All this talk of a butterfly landing on me and the only photo I can find of it is the butterfly on Jon!

It was as wonderful experience as I had imagined. Just like that I was no longer 22; I was 5 again.


I was reminded of all this today when I was outside enjoying the sun. A beautiful butterfly flew by me and for a split second I thought about chasing it but decided against it. I smiled remembering that sometimes goals have a wonderful way of surprising you. They can come true when you least expect it.