Lessons From A Butterfly

 
    It floated across the pink rose bush. Darting quickly between the geraniums and the snapdragons, two perfect, orange hued wings opened and and closed. Butterflies in flight seem aimless, even chaotic, but their flight is carefully orchestrated to evade predators..Scientific American on Butterfly Flight.  These tiny flying beauties use their tubular proboscis to gather nectar. As they move from flower to flower, they carry pollen on their legs, brush against the stigma of nearby flowers and encourage new growth. Their feather weight makes them adept flyers and able to settle on the tiniest bloom. Butterflies weigh between 0.75 grams for a large monarch to 0.04 grams for an elfin variety.

      Kindness is a butterfly; The smallest gesture or word endures. Years ago, I was a young graduate working in Washington, DC. A cobbler fixed the soles of my worn out black shoes for free. They were polished to a high luster and more beautiful than the day I bought them. His kindness took me by surprise and I have never forgotten it.
      There are no small miracles and no small kindness. St Augustine wrote, "Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature."  Change in nature can be instant, like a forest fire, or gradual like the growth of a plant. Change is a constant.  Every day gives the choice: Be positive or negative. I'll choose the butterfly way : 1)Take myself lightly 2) Stay in the moment and 3) Create beauty where I find myself.