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When Butterflies Chased Us

Writer's picture: DebDeb

That day is etched in my mind forever because it is still one of my very favorite moments, in my entire life, and it was spent with you.  It was such a beautiful fall day in Oregon.  One of those quick fall days where the sun was still shining before the rain and the air temperature was just perfection for a bike ride.  It was just you and me.  I loved these precious one-on-one days with you so much. Your brother and sister were at school, and this was the year I was homeschooling you by yourself.  Just you and me, experiencing the wonder of each day.  You were in 4th grade.


Breakfast was usually something comforting and fun like mickey mouse waffles or heart-shaped pancakes with whipped cream.  Sometimes we had tea and “toastlets” for breakfast, or for an afternoon snack; toast cut in strips that were slathered in butter and cinnamon sugar that we would dip in our tea.


We decided to go on a bike ride.  That was “PE”.  We lived in the country 12 miles outside of town and we would ride on the logging roads right by our house.  They were paved and flat and wide and went for miles and miles, and for some reason, the truck drivers used London Road instead, so we never saw logging trucks, or needed to be concerned with traffic.  It was rare to even see cars.  They made the most amazing, wide, safe bike trails that meandered under the canopy of tall fir trees.  It was like those roads were made just for us to enjoy.  Rays of sunshine would shoot straight lines through the trees onto our path, and we would pass in and out through flickers of sunlight and shadows for the whole ride. We would pack snacks and stop to have picnics.  Bike rides were just the best, slow, and with nothing else to think about except enjoying the ride, and those moments, together.


We had been riding for about 10 minutes when several butterflies appeared right next to us.  They kept up with us, fluttering up and down, right next to our faces, only a few feet away.  It was so magical, but what was even more magical is that they kept flying next to us for about a mile.  We talked and rode and laughed with the butterflies on our bike ride that day.


Life can take turns we never expect and can be filled with such deep sadness and grief over loss, severed relationships, and the myriad of unexpected things that may cross any number of our paths.  I know you won’t see this post since you’re not on FB and don’t follow my blog, but I hope you remember the day the butterflies chased us.  I hope you can feel that day in your memory, and all the other days that were filled with love and comfort and magic just like that one.  This is what I hold onto when life is filled with things that cause deep sadness, things I don’ t understand and cannot change.  This is why I write this blog.  To help anyone out there reading this to have a little glimpse of maybe a way to bolster hope when walking through a seemingly hopeless situation.  For me that is relishing in the memories; the good, beautiful truth of the memories because that is where reality lies and that can never, never be taken away from me even if the things that matter most to me, are.  I will always remember the day the butterflies chased us as one of the best days of my life because I shared that magic with you.  I know my mom heart, and I remember all the other days I packed with love and comfort and we found magic, and I’m thankful that I can remember the thousands of butterflies of being your mom.

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