The Blue Butterfly

The last line of my previous blog read, “I think it is going to be a rough re-entry.” Little did I know how prophetic those words would be …

On February 2, we celebrated our grandson Zeke’s birthday at Leo Carrillo Beach with a barbecue. Friends and family gathered on a gorgeous California winter day. 

The chef at this party was our eldest grandson, James. In between flipping burgers and turning hot dogs with his fingers (I know), he came over to talk to a few of us. Behind him was a bright-blue sky scattered with white clouds. Aqua waves were rolling in the distance. 

James was an airline pilot, and at twenty-eight years old, he had just been told he was promoted to captain. I had to give him a hug because he had worked so hard to get where he was—because I loved him and was very proud of him, and that’s what grandmas do. He was so happy and hopeful, talking about buying a home in Camarillo and his plans for the future.

That would be the last time I saw him or held him in my arms.

That evening, James was killed in a motorcycle crash. To say that family and friends were devastated is an understatement. As Christians, we believe that James is in Heaven and that one day we will join him there. This gives us hope. It does not lessen the grief we experience, but God is faithful.

Along the journey no one wants to take, we received signs and reassurances—like the blue butterfly.

To Christians and others, the butterfly is a symbol of transformation and hope. The emoji butterfly is blue. Since James passed, I have answered so many texts and emails, and I thought about putting a butterfly by my dark-red heart emoji, but the butterfly emoji is blue. I prefer monarchs or swallowtails or yellow mallows.

Yesterday, I looked at the blue butterfly emoji and remembered the blue morpho I had seen in the butterfly garden at the Living Desert. It was huge, but you could only see its brilliant iridescent-blue wings when it flew. So, beside my heart, I started to add the blue butterfly: ♥️🦋

A little later, the postman brought a fistful of sympathy cards containing poems, offers of help, prayers, and love—beautiful and kind sentiments that touch the heart and soothe the soul. As I was going through the cards, I noticed, on a predominately lavender card, one blue butterfly. Hmmm. I picked up another card, and the flap was stuck down with a blue butterfly. That got my attention. I opened the card, and inside was a letter with a huge blue butterfly stuck on the notepaper of a message. Coincidence? Maybe. But to me it was a message of reassurance. 

And so, from a hopeful heart, I say to my wonderful and beautiful James, “Soar high! We will meet again. I love you.”

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Dear Readers: Miss Marcy Mary will be taking over the blog over the next several weeks. She has a lot to say these days, which is a blessing …