A Year in Photo - Day 35

When I was 16 year old my Papa passed away from a heart attack; it was sudden and I was devastated. I think of him often and I have always felt like he is still around me, especially when times get tough. When I'm having a bad day, without fail, one of the songs that was played at his funeral, Angel by Sarah McLaughlin, comes on. It doesn't matter if I'm listening to the radio, my iPod or satelite radio. In these moments, I know he is there.

For the last few years I have been seeing monarch butterflies EVERYWHERE. When I'm at my house I see them flying in my backyard all day; a few weeks ago while watching a friend's baby a monarch butterfly sat on the cedars outside her sliding glass window the entire time I was there (hours). I see them when I'm driving, when I'm in different cities, but most of all when I'm having a hard day. I can't tell you why or how, but I just know these butterflies are my Papa. 

Today I was having my coffee (with my good milk!!) and a butterfly was perched on a flower a foot from my door; but of course, when I got up it flew away. I sat there for a moment longer, willing it to come back, minutes later it did. First sitting on the railing and then back on the flower before flying away.

Out of curiosity I looked up the symbolism of butterflies: 

"...the butterfly is a symbol of transformation because of the impressive process of metamorphosis...Here the butterfly beckons us keep our faith as we undergo transitions in our lives. She understands that our toiling, fretting and anger are useless against the turning tides of nature - she asks us to recognize the same." 

This really hits home for me given the my struggles over the last few years.

And:

"Butterflies are also a common sign from deceased loved [ones], and seeing butterflies shortly after losing a loved one is a common sign from beyond the physical. In the case of seeing butterflies in connection to deceased loved ones, sometimes angels will send butterflies to comfort and reassure you that the soul of your loved one lives on, and other times your loved one may put some of their soul essence into a butterfly to actually connect with you physically once again."

Still don't believe me? As I write this post, a monarch butterfly is circling outside my window. Whether people believe me or not doesn't matter to me, but all I know is when I see a monarch butterfly, I think of my Papa. 

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same." -Flavia Weedn