I wrote about a memory of a dog that I loved like my own child. In telling that story and reading the comments, I remembered another incredible incident concerning Ginger.
Ginger was getting weaker and weaker. I walked her down to the backyard by taking her out the front and down to the back without stairs. As we neared the wooden gate, a black butterfly with gold fringe along the edges circled each of us. I instantly thought of my mother. I didn’t know until after my mom passed that she loved butterflies. This butterfly was dramatic looking and that fit my mom. It had big solid wings, all black with gold trim around the edges. And mom loved gold necklaces, wearing two or more every day. She also wore sweaters trimmed in gold or silver trim.
The butterfly flew around me and then around Ginger. I got choked up and said aloud “Ok, mom, I get it. You’ll take care of her when she passes.” With tears in my eyes, I opened the gate and took Ginger into the yard.
Lady Ginger Lee
Soon we took her to put her down. We knew she was ready because she wagged her tail for the first time in days when we put her on the bed in the vet’s room.
A few weeks after Ginger passed, I had heard about a butterfly project where you meditate in 17 second intervals every day and ask that butterflies come to you in any form: print, artwork, real life, TV. The longer you meditate, the more would appear supposedly. One day I asked my mom to send me the black butterfly one more time. Then I let it go.
At lunch I was sitting at the dining room table in front of the oak patio doors that open to the backyard deck. I saw something come towards the door out of the corner of my eye. I thought “No way!” But I jumped up, opened the door and stepped out onto the deck. I looked to the right and there it was! “Way to go, Ma! Thank you”. I was stunned as I walked back into the house.
I realized that I never got a photo of the butterfly. Believe me, I spent hours on several days, looking for that butterfly
Close as I could come.
on the web and never found it. A couple days later, I was walking to my neighbors and as I went to open her gate, I looked up and there on the tree was the same butterfly. This time, instead of flying, the butterfly was on the branch with its wings spread. I could look at it in minute detail. I still didn’t have a camera or my phone on me. I’ve never seen it since. And I still haven’t found it on the web. I feel I wasn’t meant to photograph it either.
What do you make of that? Would you have reacted the way I did? Do you think this is possible? Do you have a similar story? I’d love to hear it!
Yes, I do understand this story and relate! What a beautiful creature and symbol a butterfly is, and to have one make that connection to you via your mother is even more wonderful. I am intrigued, as well, by that 17-second interval for meditations. Seems like you could do it for a number of images and connections.
Sorry about your dear Ginger, but of course you know she’s well cared for.
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
http://www.thereflectivewriter.com/blog/
Personal-Professional Balance Through Writing
@e4b8a5d11c59bf9b9762f4bd9828c22c:disqus I can’t believe I never responded to your lovely comment. I have spent so much time looking for that butterfly. It may be a moth and I didn’t have much luck finding it. I came close with the morpho butterfly today. It’s the right shape but no black gold spots along the outer edges. I see a blue morpho that is close including the gold. I really am wondering if this butterfly or moth exists.
I reposted this when I found a quote by Abraham on the law of attraction and they mentioned the 17 second interval needed. It reminded me of the butterfly experiment I had done, then Ginger’s passing and this blog. It must have all happened for some reason.
Julieanne, this really hits home with me, because at my friend Christine’s memorial service, the family released 25 butterflies. Thank you so much for this beautiful post.
No coincidences, right?
Is there a way for me to share this with some of my friends through e-mail?
Hi, Pam, I know a sudden loss is very hard to deal with. I’m not sure watching a being fade is any easier either. But it is part of life. The caterpillar dissolves into liquid going through a complete metamorphosis to become a butterfly and they are gorgeous. Let’s hope your friend is soaring through the ethers on beautiful wings and whispering in your ear as she passes by you.
Wonderful story, you may want to look under moths, butterflies close their wings when landed and moths have theirs spread. Hope this helps you find the symbol.
You know I just thought of that earlier this morning! You are so right, Thank you for nudging me a bit more! But it was very big moth then. Yet I’ve recently seen pictures of the Madagascar moth that is very large. I didn’t know that moths spread their wings when landed. Very interesting. Thanks for sharing that information!
Julie,
When I was a little girl, your mom lived with us for a very long time, and so I knew her very well. So I can definitely say you will never find a picture of that butterfly. There is not one to be found. That butterfly is as unique as your mother was. And your discription of it matches your mom’s to a”T”. That butterfly was your Mom. Love, Loretta
Loretta, You made me tear up. Thank you so much for that confirmation. I always suspected it was her and I truly realized today that the butterfly can’t possibly exist. The gold trim butterfly resembles no living butterfly, the configuration is too different.
Thanks, Mom! I hope you are enjoying Ginger. She is a gem.
Love, Julie
Julie,
I wanted to tell you that, after readjng your story about Ginger and the one you wrote about the fire, you are an amazing writer. Your ability to discribe what was happening
with the fire and how you were cooping with it all was so good that I thought I was reading the start of a good mystery. You should definitely write a book. No kidding!
You have been through a terrible ordeal. The sunny side is that you may have found a new career. Love you. Loretta