Death of a Butterfly

It's the "geezers day" today at New Leaf Market, my neighborhood store where they "offer an abundance of organic and local produce, natural groceries, organic wine and beer, supplements, vitamins and body care products." We, senior citizens, get a discount. So, I always go on Tuesdays to do some pick-up shopping.

Got on my bike right after work and with absolutely perfect weather I launched myself into the air, barely touching the asphalt (so I thought), feeling like flying, just like a butterfly. Smile on my face, deep breath in my lungs, happy thoughts on my mind.

Got my stuff (lettuce, a piece of organic soap, and some dinner from their hot bar), collected happily my discount and was on my way back. Oh, yes, I saw an old friend whom I had not seen at least 14, maybe 15 years. It was really nice to see her with some ancient feelings reviving there for a moment. She looked really fine. We both seemed a bit perturbed and sort of shaky in our knees by the suddenness of it all and pretended that all was well and acted really cool.

Anyway. So I got back on my bike, rode across the parking lot to the intersection, pressed the button and waited for my sign to go (I usually ride back on the sidewalk, not generally my preferred way, but really practical in this situation).

And, as I was waiting there I noticed a smallish black butterfly approach the same intersection just a few feet away from me going in the same direction. Nice. Alas, it did not read the "don't walk" sign and went merrily on to cross. I looked left and right and noticed with relief that there was not much traffic, thus making the tiny creature's crossing a real possibility.

But then, as it flutteringly and lazily crossed the median, suddenly a car came by from the right. The car was low enough to just sort of blow the little guy (maybe it was a girl, I don't know) a bit up in the air, giving him a little lift and a pause, I guess. Maybe the little fellow took another breath and said, okay, I can be on my way now.

Finally a truck got him. It flicked him up high in the air, high, high, high up in the air it flew. I though perhaps it was okay. My heart fluttered in anticipation to see the little creature continue on its way. But, it didn't. It spiraled down, down it went all the way to the hot asphalt where car after car sort of pushed him over, thrashed him left and right. My heart was starting to tremble in pain for that useless loss of innocence. I know, I know, I am projecting here, but what can I do, that's how I felt.

A few moments later it was my turn to cross. I rode over the median and saw the little creature a few yards to my left, on the asphalt, his wings up in the air, in the hot sun. His body, though, had no way to make use for those black wings with slivers of iridescent green any longer.

I continued riding my bike home slowly, subdued, thinking about life and its ways with us all. You never, ever know or understand all its mysteries. The best we can do is take every chance we get to be kind to all others and to ourselves, give away our gifts, and make best of what we got, which is not negligible if we only look around the corner and take a notice.

I am happy that you could read this.