By: Hettie Basil Lighttower

For the past couple of weeks, we have had great conversation and feedback about butterflies, God’s flying flowers and special messengers. But we haven’t touched on their spiritual connectedness and behaviors so much. We know that they bring us joy and make us feel special and chosen when they land on us, but sometimes the experience can be a little deeper with these beauties.
A great example I love to share, is when I received a call. I will keep the person anonymous just in case that is his preference. “You are not going to believe what just happened!”, my friend ‘Mikey’ said, “I was leaving the courthouse. Just as the automatic doors opened my phone rang and I had one foot out the door. As I was answering my phone and that first foot out the door was touching the pavement, a huge yellow butterfly landed on my foot! I carefully continued to step out the door with my other foot as I heard my sister’s voice on the line. The butterfly stayed on the one shoe and I walked away from the door. It was a big yellow and black butterfly. I have no idea where it came from. There are no gardens or flowers outside of the courthouse and I have never even seen one fly by the doors all the years I have been working here.
But my sister on the phone was calling to tell me that our other sister had just passed away from cancer. I was so amazed by that. And I knew you would be too. Can you believe that? I mean that butterfly stayed on my shoe. I stood there on the sidewalk and finished my conversation with my sister. When I got off the phone it flew away. I had to call and tell you. It was unbelievable. As if it was our other sister also giving me the message that she had passed.”
I love that story. The butterfly was not injured; it was perfectly capable of flying. It literally came simultaneously to the phone message. Another story is of a third cousin of mine when his mother died. He was so eager to tell me when we got to the family dinner after the intermittent ceremony that when the hearst was there outside of the funeral home a butterfly came and landed on the hood ornament! It caught his attention, so he watched to see it fly away, but it didn’t fly away. After the pall bearers loaded up the coffin with our dear relative the butterfly remained on the hood ornament as if to be in charge; as if to want to lead the way. He said that that butterfly held steadily there until the hearst made the circle around the parking lot and down the driveway to the main road. When the hearst was pulling out of there before any speed was gained, it took off and gently floated around the caravan. It did not dismantle because of acceleration. It left as if to be satisfied that we are ready to go and all is in order. He told me that his mom loved butterflies so much and he felt like it was her in spirit or at least sending a sincere message of reassurance through a familiar part of her life. And the fascinating part is that he got to see the entire situation and recognized that it was there and knew how special that was. He knew it was not to be taken for granted.
Wow!! Another great story. I have had so many wonderful stories that people have shared with me. Here is one that I experienced myself. A good friend of mine named June passed away. Her daughter called me and asked if I had any butterflies that they could release at her funeral. It was in October and I really was done with butterfly season. I apologized and told her I only had four. She said, “that would be perfect because there are four kids and each of us could release one”. I said, “of course! Great idea”.
So, fast forward we are at the gravesite, and it is now time to release the butterflies. I say a little spiel and pass out the four envelopes with the butterflies to the four adult children. There are three sons and one daughter. The daughter opened hers and the butterfly gently meandered around and about in front of her and alighted on the flowers and up and around putting on a beautiful display of joy and endearment without a care in the world. It was just happy to be there and a part of the ceremony. The two older sons opened theirs simultaneously. The butterflies took off like cannons into the wild blue yonder never to be seen again. The third and youngest adult son opened his as well. I was standing across the crowd from where he was and found myself struggling to contain an outburst of laughter and surprise. You see when his butterfly came out of the envelope it also shot out like a cannon. But this dear butterfly made a firm impact directly onto this baby-of-the-family’s forehead! Not just once but over and over again crashing into his face between his eyes so much that he had to shew it away and was squishing his eyes closed and open in defense while leaning backwards in attempts to get out of its way.
I made my way over to where he was and by now laughing with tears in my eyes. I said, “I saw that! You know what that was don’t you? That was your mom giving you one last scolding to straighten up because she is not going to be here any more to tell you to your face.” He laughed and agreed.
I thought it was amazing how the two older sons had left the nest and went on with their lives, the daughter had a beautiful friendship with her mom, and lastly the third son was always making poor decisions. He was my age and his mom was my friend, so I knew all about his indiscretions. We loved him anyway. The butterflies literally acted out the very relationships each individual had with their mother.
Send in your notions and comments to [email protected]. And remember, kindness is contagious~*