I dreamt I was a butterfly ...

It was an early Spring morning, one of those glorious days when the Sun begins to warm the world, and the morning dew had not yet fled away to parts unknown.

I could hear the birds waking, their joyful songs taking roll-call “I’m here ... I’m here ... Me too ...” they all seemed to say ...All is fresh, all is yet undecided ...

Oh, the excitement of new beginnings “What shall today bring ... What shall we do in this radiant day ...?” and the breeze answered “Whatever your heart desires, little ones ... Look out there - the whole world is waiting for you ... go ... explore ... be free [while you still can, for winter shall come too soon] ...”

With wings aflutter they all took off, racing in their youth, to find the nectar of this new day.

The same yearning woke within me - the desire to spread my own wings, to go and be part of this carefree day, to drink the golden light of the sun, and commute with the morning breeze ...

Encouraged by such happy thoughts I valiantly struggled against my cocoon, pushing and tearing away at the remnants of my old self, struggling against the very safety I’d created, and no longer needed ... until - finally - I could feel the kiss of the Sun on my newly formed self ...

With one final push I emerged ... still trembling with exertion, I hung there to drink in the day ... to warm my flesh, and feel this new Life I’d dreamt of ...

Gently my wings spread out ... and for the first time I see the beauty of my colors ... beyond the simple brush of Nature, I shine with iridescent glitter and sparkle with effervescent light ... Oh, I’m glorious ...

All around me is new and joyous and full of Life ... and so I too launch myself to this new day in search of my own beginnings ...

... and the breeze looks on with tenderness “Enjoy every moment, every instant of your Life, little one - never fear that a Life as short as yours need be constrained in any manner ... Love, live, embrace all that you are, and with each moment declare yourself - ‘I live in the fullness that is myself !’ ...and when the too quick end comes, then know that you’ve lived well and lived fully ... and that is all that truly matters ...”

I lay in bed, my eyes barely open, the sun not yet lighting the sky, as I pondered the teachings of this dream ... how such a simple being - whose life may be as short as two weeks, but never longer than a year - could embrace Life with such fervor, see the beauty of a new day, and be so passionate about all that was yet to be found ...

I dreamt I was a butterfly ... and for the first time knew Life to be joyous and free ...