Princess, Adventurer, and Wings

Last week was full of hard, hard work and hurdles all of which were worth the effort.  It is just remarkable to see how much we can physically and emotionally endure, with patience, strength and perseverance.  The middle of the week was punctuated by a break from commitment to spontaneity and surprise.   I was able to meet friends from years ago, Nancy and her daughter Ali, who now has daughters of her own.  Ali and her girls were visiting from South Carolina and had chosen a beautiful day to visit our beach.  As we reminisced and caught up, it was so pleasant and comfortable to see that the connection as friends was immediate and familiar, despite the time that had passed.  It was a refreshing reminder of precious time and precious relationships, and it was ok to put the work and pressures aside for awhile.  

Ali shared this photo of one of her daughters holding an aged and broken butterfly, almost looking more like a moth.  I am grateful to share it here.  I am struck by the young fingers that have wisdom to hold it gently,  the sparkle of the nail polish, half worn off by playing- the shared pleasures of being a princess one moment and an adventurer the next.  The butterfly is missing much of its wings, and what is left is almost translucent.  However, its legs and body look as though it still has the desire to go on about its life, to carry on the best it can.  It is interesting to think about how small and fragile this creature is and yet how great a distance those wings must have carried it, until finally there are no more wings to fly with, how hard it must have worked and how much beauty it must have brought to the world.  I think there is a bit of princess and adventurer in most women, and also a bit of a weary winged butterfly as we try to live life fully and look for our gentle places to land.
 Thank you for sharing this photo and thank you for helping me for the afternoon!