In celebration of our Butterflies and Fireflies.

Oh, the beautiful butterfly.  We all know the Butterfly children in our lives.

They may be our own children or our children’s friends and classmates. They are so easy to see – beautifully colored, brilliant even.  Their talents abound as they flit easily from one spot to another.  Fitting in effortlessly and yet standing out –  all at once; with seemingly little effort.  They win awards and competitions and are picked first for class projects and teams.  They lead with confidence and fervor; throwing out spirit and energy and zeal with an intensity that leaves some of us exhausted in their wake. We are dazzled by the butterflies as they make our world a colorful, vibrant place – full of easy laughter and fun; endless adventure and spirit; unwavering drive and energy.  We need butterflies to guide us and show us the path; to remind us that life should be lived with reckless abandon and to appreciate the grandor that is present in so many moments.

And then there are the fireflies.  Children with beautiful, quiet souls.

They might pass you by if you aren’t paying close attention.  These are the children who often get looked over for invitations to parties and dates because they don’t demand the attention; they don’t steal the spotlight. At first glance, you might not even notice them. They are content to let others shine; they often choose quality over quantity even if it means being deemed “unpopular” or not mainstream.  They know their own worth without needing to yell it from rooftops or have it validated by people who don’t truly know them at their core.  They go about their life with determined meaning and purpose and they only reveal themselves when they deem you worthy of their light.  And then, their undeniable glow lights up your world and leave you wondering how you could have ever not seen them for the magnificent, unique creatures that they are.  They enhance our lives with a depth that only they can bring.  They remind us to nurture our souls and search for meaning; they teach us that beauty is not skin deep but in the eye of the beholder.  They are kind and generous and deeply compassionate.   Fireflies are wise and humble and fiercely loyal.  Without fireflies to root us and ground us, we could not be.

I am a mother of two.  One is a Butterfly and one is a Firefly. 

Each is remarkable.  Each needs to be loved and appreciated as an individual.   Each one teaches me that what appears to be isn’t always what is.  Both have taught me that there is much to be appreciated about differences in personalities and approaches to life.   Both have taught me to rethink my perspective when I think I have someone pegged.   Could I fully appreciate one without the other?  Likely not.  Do I identify with one more than the other?  Not necessarily.  Both color my world with a dimension that leaves me breathless in the midst of their beauty.  Both make me want to know them more so I can celebrate each for every wonderful, individual attribute they possess.  Both stretch me.  Both leave me in awe.