For three years I've wanted to see thousands of Monarch Butterflies gathered together in one magical place, and now I finally have!! My sons (Jason and Gabe) and I drove to Pacific Grove last Friday, and got out of the car at our motel to see hundreds of Monarchs randomly fluttering and gliding through the air. Many more were hanging in clusters from tree branches with their wings folded up, muted side showing. I walked through the grove, sat on the benches, and sat on the porch just watching them and marveling at them.
Butterflies are transformational symbols, as they go through metamorphosis from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. These Monarchs had migrated from as far north as Washington and as far east as the Rocky Mountains all the way to the central coast of California to stay the winter. But they were not the same butterflies that had left last spring, they were the great-grandchildren of the butterflies that left Pacific Grove. It was interesting to wonder how they could find their way back to a place they'd never been before. Also, the generation that makes the great migration is a special because it lives for 8 months. The other 3 generations live only 4 to 6 weeks each.
Maybe I'm the 8 month generation, stuck here for years without Katie. And was Katie the 4 to 6 week generation? Can I begin see her life as complete as it is? Or will I just keep missing her?
Across the path from our porch was a fenced woods where deer came to browse in the morning and evenings. My sons laughed at me for talking to the deer, the older one asking "Mom, do you think they're going to come running over for a scratch like a dog?" No, I don't, but it just felt right to talk to them, they looked like they were listening, and they were beautiful.
Posts
Long ago, long before my children were born, there was a local journalist whose 11 year old daughter was killed while horseback riding. He wrote about his grieving in some of his columns; in fact, he was one of my models for healthy grieving when my Sophie died. One of his columns was about a trip he and his wife took to Sanibel Island, shortly after their daughter's death. He described his wife wading a ways out into the waves, when she was suddenly surrounded by a group of dolphins. They encircled her and stayed with her for a long time. He wrote that she was absolutely certain they were a message from their daughter.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to read that if you come across it again.
ReplyDelete