Monday, November 5, 2012

Butterflies

I think this is a Monarch butterfly - it might not be a Monarch, but the Monarch's are migrating through Texas now and I figure it was one of those headed to Mexico.  Of course - when I google it for pictures, I can't find one this pretty called a Monarch...it might be a 'painted lady' - anyway .... I figure I'm still too young to go buy a book, get out my binoculars or join a club about it.
 
I took this picture on Halloween night when everyone was dressed up like something they aren't.  Not this guy - he wasn't pretending to be anything but himself - and that was enough.
      
But it did make me think about things this past week - like change.  A lot of things need to change.  We all get bogged down in the hum-drum of life, in the ugly but protected cocoon, we become complacent and satisfied with the status-quo.  Sunday turns to Monday, then the week drags on and it's Saturday, and then Sunday turns to Monday again - until the month is gone, and the quarter ends, and we have a birthday and it's time for the holidays again.  "And the beat goes on."

We just stop living our best life.  It's not intentional - it just happens - creeps up on you.
     
Butterflies live a month, or as long as a year - but no more.  How many life analogies have been drawn from the development and life of a butterfly:  they start pretty unattractive and end beautiful;  they are agents of the pollination to plants;  they have a 4-part life-cycle;  they migrate using the sun as their compass - seeing the polarized light to guide them;  they live by instinct;  they are weak and fragile - yet strong;  they undergo an incredible metamorphosis.
   
A Czech dude named Franz Kafka wrote a book called 'Metamorphosis' - compelling - real to the bone stuff.  I need to go read it again  (this week).
  
So what?  I don't know, I just saw this beautiful butterfly, and wanted to preserve it's place in history by putting it's picture on this page.  Now you've seen it and you can decide what to do about it, but whatever you do - keep changing.  Life is short.

Maybe It's Time to be Beautiful.