About two weeks ago I was on my way out with the babies and spotted a butterfly caught in a huge spider web at the corner next to our side door. At first I thought it was dead, but when I got close it began to flutter wildly, trying to free itself. It's poor wings were all battered around the edges from the struggle but it was otherwise beautiful, brown, cream and tan. The best way to describe it is softly earthy. Just beautiful.

I always loved butterflies but I know how fragile they are so I never went hunting for them - even when I was a child. For some reason they like me. There have been several times over the years in which one would land on me or close by, then allow me to approach it for a better look. We are blessed to have a lot of different types in our area so the yard is always full of them. I love watching them. They have such a gentle, fragile beauty.

So of course, when I saw the earthy butterfly caught in the web I had to at least try to get to it before the spider did. We had seen her while she was in the process of spinning her web and she was big. Really big. The kind of big that makes you afraid to squash it because afterward you'll need a mop to clean up the smear with. I was afraid to try pulling the butterfly free with my hands because it's wings were already so tattered at the edges and you have to be really gentle with them anyway, so I got a paper towel, rolled it up until there was a corner sticking out and carefully pulled it loose. A piece of the web came with it so the butterfly was fluttering like mad but still stuck to the paper towel. I didn't know what else to do so I shook it a little and the butterfly pulled away. I had doubts that it would be able to fly but it did just fine. It flew down to rest on on the outer baseboard of my house and just sat there looking tired. I was so happy to have gotten it out of the web without harming it! That made my whole day. I already had Trent in the car and went back in for Zoe, then came out to find it still sitting in the same place. I told it I was glad it was okay and that it should rest awhile then find something to eat and that it would probably feel better after it ate something. I expected it to be gone when I got back home awhile later.

But it wasn't.

It was hanging around and much more lively than it had been when I left. It fluttered around my head in circles as I took Zoe in from the car and when I went back out to close the car doors (John helped with Trent). I spoke to it then went back inside and as I closed the door I noticed that it had landed on our screen door and was very slowly opening and closing it's wings. I had to tend to the babies, both of which were hungry, but I did manage to get back to look out on the butterfly now and then. It sat out there as if it was guarding the house for about twenty minutes.

!!!!

I've seen it a few times since then, flying close by and looking much happier, but never so close as last Tuesday. I was once again taking the babies out to get John for his therapy appointment and had gotten Trent to the car already and was going back for Zoe when the butterfly appeared literally out of nowhere and started fluttering around my head. Like always, I smiled and said hello, but was in a hurry so I turned to go back into the house and didn't notice the butterfly flying in behind me. I collected Zoe and was heading back out when I spotted it sitting on the door frame near the floor, looking as if it was waiting for something. I picked up Zoe and opened the door to let the butterfly out but instead of flying away it jumped right onto my pants and perched, looking up at me.

Hi there, I said. How are you?

It stayed and looked at me for another few seconds then flew away, fluttering in my path as I left the house, then away it went into my back yard.

My mother said it knows I kept it from being a spider's dinner and it's thanking me.

It just makes me so happy to see it around all of the time. It's magickal, like a little guardian spirit. It's a dreamy little creature, so lively in spite of the physical battering of it's wings.

It's like me, a bit rough for wear but not even close to giving up.

I never realized how strong butterflies are until now.