My butterfly

My Butterfly
By William H. White, Jr.
Schmetterling, papillon, farfalla, borboleta, mariposa, butterfly - no matter what language you choose it is the name of one of the most beautiful and delicate creatures on earth. She captivates even the hardest of hearts and eases the stoniest of stares. This fragile creature brings joy to every eye that lights upon it, and adds color to the most barren of landscapes. She is coveted for her beauty, and revered the brightness she brings to our lives. She can be seen everywhere, but is hard to capture. And when captured her beauty is lessened, for part of her mystique is her freedom. Like the flowers she frequents, she is more lustrous when left to the wild. She can be held, but is lovelier when she is free. She is better beheld from afar while flitting through the sunlit fields in the summer’s breezes. If something must be chased or hunted then it must be captured or killed. If she comes to you on her own then her beauty is yours to freely enjoy. If she chooses, she may honor one with her soft touch and lightness of presence, but to try and cage her is an affront to her beauty. She is not to be caged. She is to be shared, by all, enjoyed by all, loved by all, and seen by all.