An Epiphany :: 25-02-06 ::

I met a butterfly on my way to work today. It was a baby one, with tiny, fragile wings that belied its ferocity. She came to rest on my windscreen, when I stopped at a junction waiting for the lights. I fell in love with her beautiful wings; they were flapping gently against the soft breeze outside. She had come to rest, but the world wasn’t letting her.

The lights turned green, and I had to move. I didn’t want to, because I knew what would happen. She was but small, a little butterfly that didn’t belong here; lost in her fate. She had stumbled into a life that wasn’t hers.

I moved slowly, unwillingly, watching her from the corner of my eye. The resistance was building up, but her wings held strong. Her tenacity rose with the strength of the wind. Her wings were frail but her spirit strong, and she lasted a good distance with me.

In my preoccupation with her, I didn’t realise that the world had picked up speed. I looked around me and saw that I couldn’t go on helping my little friend. I had to get up to speed with the world, and move along with the crowd.

As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t keep her. It just wasn’t the right time and place.

I stepped on the accelerator, with my eyes fixed on her. It was hard to watch her lose her fight against the wind, and turn into a speck before my eyes.

I guess I liked her… my beautiful butterfly.