This swallowtail butterfly landed in my yard not long ago. I’m fascinated with butterflies, and feel such lightness and joy emanating from them.
As I watched the butterfly flit around, I remembered a recent experience of lightness and joy that I had in the forest.
As I was rounding a bend on a path, I encountered a young man hiking alone. I was struck by his ear-to-ear grin and his bursting-with-excitement manner. He stopped to chat, and shared that he was from out of town, and had never been in an old growth forest before. He was obviously so taken by the feeling of the forest that he could barely contain himself. So much joy…just like the butterflies.
Perhaps butterflies are reminders to let go of our ordinary selves, calling forth our lightness of being and joyous ways.
There is so much delight in nature…
(New photos on website Gallery: wandernature.com/new-photos)