Butterfly Woman

The story of Butterfly Woman

Butterfly Woman was born a small caterpillar in a rather nondescript garden. She had an uneventful childhood in the garden, going to school with the other caterpillars learning how to avoid becoming a bird’s tasty lunch. She entered her teen years a shy, awkward caterpillar with a few close friends. She worked in the garden, always looking up and dreaming of one day flying around the garden just like the birds and bees. Deep down inside she knew the caterpillars could change, that transformation was possible, but she didn’t know how to do it and she was afraid. So she continued to live and work in the garden, and to read about other caterpillars who had transformed into butterflies. She learned that some caterpillars transformed by “thinking” themselves into butterflies. Others prayed and tried to live good lives. Some tried to eat only certain foods and exercise regularly at certain times. Butterfly Woman became so confused – there were so many ways to transform and so much advice out there she just didn’t know what to do. She felt so lost and lonely. One autumn night in the garden, while looking up at the stars, she fell into a deep, deep sleep. The darkness seemed to close in around her, and she slept longer and deeper. She dreamed of blue summer skies, and flowers, and floating. Then her dreams became dark and scary. Caterpillars, slugs and dark beetles taunted her and poked her. “You’ll never be good enough to be a butterfly” they hissed. And, “you have to do it our way, you’ll never get it right”. They pushed her down winding paths with confusing signs that pointed here and there. “This is the way.” “No! Go here.” “Don’t do this!” Butterfly Woman grew weaker and began to cry. Then she saw a pale, luminescent green light coming towards here. The light grew brighter and stronger, and as it got closer, she saw that it was coming from a beautiful Luna Moth Fairy. The Luna Moth Fairy hugged her, and wiped her tears away. “There, there little one. All you need to remember is that you are loved and you are love. That is all there is to know”, whispered the Luna Moth Fairy as she handed Butterfly Woman a tiny, beautiful, leather-bound book. “All you need to know is in here.” Luna Moth Fairy left her, and Butterfly Woman opened the book. On the first page, in beautiful scrolled letters was written, “This above all, to thine own self be true”. Butterfly Woman felt her self growing strong, and her heart so full of love that she thought she would burst. She stretched her arms out against the darkness and pushed it away with all her might. She awoke to beautiful, sunny morning in the garden. She felt cold and damp, but the sun’s light quickly warmed her. She looked at herself and gasped. Where once had been a plain, dumpy caterpillar in green dress, she was now wearing a beautiful yellow gown. A tingling came from her back and as she twisted her neck to look over her shoulder she saw the most beautiful pair of orange and black wings. Wings! She had wings! Beside her on the ground she spotted the little book the Luna Moth Fairy had given her. So this was more than just a dream, she thought. Lifting her face to the sky, and stretching out her wings she soared up over the garden. She couldn’t believe how beautiful it really was, and how tiny compared to everything she could see from her new vantage point in the sky. And so began her journey to explore this world, armed with the book the Luna Moth Fairy had given her, and the knowledge that she was loved and was love, and could do anything she set her mind to.

(Butterly Woman is the heroine I have created as part of The Artist's Healing Journey) * o

Butterfly Woman