Boys and Butterflies

Jason and Gabe near McWay Falls

two Monarch Butterflies posing near Pacific Grove

Monarch Butterflies

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.