Job leads, News, and Conversations with Those Who Write and Edit
Butterflies: angels or just bugs? You decide.
January 24, 1997 - that's the day my dad died. He was my best friend and it was very hard to say goodbye.
December 24, 1997 - that's the day my friend Bob died. Since friends are NEVER supposed to die - it was equally hard to say goodbye.
October 24, 2005 - that's the day I lost my mom.
April 1, 1987 - that's the day I opened my business, it was a kite shoppe in my little hometown. Most likely the craziest thing I have ever done, but I was desperate. I needed a job, and I didn't want to leave my little boy so I created a job/life where I could take him with me.
As it turned out it was the best decision of my life, because not only could I take my son Rick with me to work, but my husband could come to the store for lunch, and my parents could hang out as long as they wanted to. It was a family venture and we didn't make a lot of money but we did have a good time.
Next door to the kite shoppe was my friend Bob's business. He was a florist who hated balloons. I sold kites and balloons but no flowers, so when he needed a balloon for an order he would get it from me.
For ten years we had this type of working relationship. In the summers, I would sit in front of my store when there were no customers and read a book. When dad was there he would drag a chair out and sit with me. Eventually Bob came out as well. All three of us, sitting in front of the store laughing and talking with portable phones in hand, just in case a customer called.
The summer after dad died, the first warm day of spring happened and I didn't have the heart to put the chairs out. I went to the local cafe and purchased lunch for myself and my mom and on the way back, there was a big yellow butterfly sitting on the window ledge.
I smiled when I saw the pretty bug and it waved its wings at me. I thought it a little odd, but shrugged my shoulders and went on. A few hours later I said something to Bob about the butterfly and before he even know what I was going to say he looked at me with that grin of his and said "yes I DO think it was your dad."
His words gave me a feeling of peace. a month later bob was diagnosed with cancer. As the above sentence implies he died a few months later. Some people would do anything to get out of delivering flowers at Christmas!!!
The following spring, on the first warm day, I put the green chairs outside and was really sad, because it was only me sitting in them. Once again I went to the local cafe' to purchase lunch, and when I got back, sitting in their appropriate places, on either side of my chair were two yellow butterflies. I sat between them and cried.
This used to be where the story ended. A couple of years ago though, my belief that butterflies could be more than just bugs came to a head.
My mom had been fighting cancer for about 20 years. While others lost their battles (dad and Bob) my mom struggled on and beat the nasty disease three times. The final time though she was hospitalized for nearly three weeks from the beginning of October till she was released to die at home.
She told the doctor that she wanted to be at home with her dog (Bailey) and her little black cat Worm. (I know weird name - don't ask) So mom came home, we had hospice bring a hospital bed and a nurse visited a couple of times a day. Mom survived without the tubes and wires of the hospital for a little over three days. At 10:32 a.m. Monday, October 24, 2005 my mom gave up the fight and went to be with all her loved ones.
It was a difficult week, but my friends and my boys (my two sons, Rick and Mike and my husband John) never left my side. Often many good things come out of bad situations.
My son's were very involved in high school band. My son Rick was in college but was an instructor for his alma mater, and my younger son Mike was still marching.
We had a double competition the day after we buried mom. I had said to my husband that I was a little sad that I wouldn't be seeing any butterflies because it was so late in the season. Honestly it really bothered me because over the years I had come to believe that the butterflies really were a sign from above.
Competition time comes and I am riding on the back of a 4 wheeler pulling 3 carts with all of the pit equipment. (For non-band nerds, pit equipment are instruments like marimbas, xylophones and other percussion type instruments.) As we are bouncing down this alley kind of road, a little yellow butterfly flew past. I saw it and smiled thinking "well at least I get a small sign." As my eyes followed that tiny little creature across the field it drew my eye to a color guard group of about 30 girls and boys, all spinning seven foot butterfly flags in unison. It was beautiful and a big fat in your face moment for me.
It was as if my mom, dad and Bob all said "here's your butterflies now move on!!!"
Christians use the butterfly as a symbol of rebirth,and perhaps it is. Honestly, I don't know, but from my point of view, that beautiful little bug helped to heal a lot of my wounds.
So the next time you see a butterfly, no matter the size or color, think of this story and smile. It could be your angel waving to you - or it might only be a bug.
December 24, 1997 - that's the day my friend Bob died. Since friends are NEVER supposed to die - it was equally hard to say goodbye.
October 24, 2005 - that's the day I lost my mom.
April 1, 1987 - that's the day I opened my business, it was a kite shoppe in my little hometown. Most likely the craziest thing I have ever done, but I was desperate. I needed a job, and I didn't want to leave my little boy so I created a job/life where I could take him with me.
As it turned out it was the best decision of my life, because not only could I take my son Rick with me to work, but my husband could come to the store for lunch, and my parents could hang out as long as they wanted to. It was a family venture and we didn't make a lot of money but we did have a good time.
Next door to the kite shoppe was my friend Bob's business. He was a florist who hated balloons. I sold kites and balloons but no flowers, so when he needed a balloon for an order he would get it from me.
For ten years we had this type of working relationship. In the summers, I would sit in front of my store when there were no customers and read a book. When dad was there he would drag a chair out and sit with me. Eventually Bob came out as well. All three of us, sitting in front of the store laughing and talking with portable phones in hand, just in case a customer called.
The summer after dad died, the first warm day of spring happened and I didn't have the heart to put the chairs out. I went to the local cafe and purchased lunch for myself and my mom and on the way back, there was a big yellow butterfly sitting on the window ledge.
I smiled when I saw the pretty bug and it waved its wings at me. I thought it a little odd, but shrugged my shoulders and went on. A few hours later I said something to Bob about the butterfly and before he even know what I was going to say he looked at me with that grin of his and said "yes I DO think it was your dad."
His words gave me a feeling of peace. a month later bob was diagnosed with cancer. As the above sentence implies he died a few months later. Some people would do anything to get out of delivering flowers at Christmas!!!
The following spring, on the first warm day, I put the green chairs outside and was really sad, because it was only me sitting in them. Once again I went to the local cafe' to purchase lunch, and when I got back, sitting in their appropriate places, on either side of my chair were two yellow butterflies. I sat between them and cried.
This used to be where the story ended. A couple of years ago though, my belief that butterflies could be more than just bugs came to a head.
My mom had been fighting cancer for about 20 years. While others lost their battles (dad and Bob) my mom struggled on and beat the nasty disease three times. The final time though she was hospitalized for nearly three weeks from the beginning of October till she was released to die at home.
She told the doctor that she wanted to be at home with her dog (Bailey) and her little black cat Worm. (I know weird name - don't ask) So mom came home, we had hospice bring a hospital bed and a nurse visited a couple of times a day. Mom survived without the tubes and wires of the hospital for a little over three days. At 10:32 a.m. Monday, October 24, 2005 my mom gave up the fight and went to be with all her loved ones.
It was a difficult week, but my friends and my boys (my two sons, Rick and Mike and my husband John) never left my side. Often many good things come out of bad situations.
My son's were very involved in high school band. My son Rick was in college but was an instructor for his alma mater, and my younger son Mike was still marching.
We had a double competition the day after we buried mom. I had said to my husband that I was a little sad that I wouldn't be seeing any butterflies because it was so late in the season. Honestly it really bothered me because over the years I had come to believe that the butterflies really were a sign from above.
Competition time comes and I am riding on the back of a 4 wheeler pulling 3 carts with all of the pit equipment. (For non-band nerds, pit equipment are instruments like marimbas, xylophones and other percussion type instruments.) As we are bouncing down this alley kind of road, a little yellow butterfly flew past. I saw it and smiled thinking "well at least I get a small sign." As my eyes followed that tiny little creature across the field it drew my eye to a color guard group of about 30 girls and boys, all spinning seven foot butterfly flags in unison. It was beautiful and a big fat in your face moment for me.
It was as if my mom, dad and Bob all said "here's your butterflies now move on!!!"
Christians use the butterfly as a symbol of rebirth,and perhaps it is. Honestly, I don't know, but from my point of view, that beautiful little bug helped to heal a lot of my wounds.
So the next time you see a butterfly, no matter the size or color, think of this story and smile. It could be your angel waving to you - or it might only be a bug.
Add a Comment
About
Badge
© 2009 Created by David Eide on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network
You need to be a member of Sunoasis Writers Network to add comments!
Join this social network