Long gone from this place
Leaving only memories
Cobwebs in the sun
~Cie~
There was a butterfly release ceremony at Mountain View Park in Boulder today, sponsored by Family Hospice of Boulder. I purchased a butterfly in honor of my father, who died on November 28, 2010 after six years of progressive physical and mental deterioration following a devastating hemorrhagic stroke on June 4, 2004. My father would have been 78 years old this year.
My son and I attended the service. We released the butterfly. I had intended to watch its flight path, but it was eager to go and flew right in my face, so I lost track of it almost immediately.
Following the service, we drove to Golden, where there is a memorial bench in the cemetery, honoring my father. We placed the carnation we had received on the bench.
Butterflies have a special meaning to us. When the family was gathered for Dad's memorial service at the cemetery, we hired a bagpiper to play Amazing Grace at the end of the service. He walked off into the distance as he played, representing the departure of the spirit from the living world. A butterfly landed on the bench for a moment, then flew off, following the bagpiper. I previously wrote a poem about this event here.
Dad taught me to respect all life, including the lowliest of creatures, such as insects and spiders. Thus, the photo of the cobwebs inspired me. He is gone from the world of the living, leaving only memories. I don't claim to understand what happens after death as I am not particularly religious, but I do believe that something continues after the death of the body. Spirit or soul is a good enough word for it.
~Cie~
Many thanks Cie for sharing a bit of your culture. My sincere prayers for your father.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I appreciate it. :-)
DeleteThis is very beautiful. Thank You for sharing. Butterflies go to the light. You wrote: "I do believe that something continues after the death of the body. Spirit or soul". I believe it also. I believe it is very possible there can be life before life and life after death. Why not? God and do anything he wants. It is how I believe.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words. When it comes to religion, I've had bad experiences with it. Some people use it as an excuse to be mean-spirited and judgmental. However, I'm not such a cynic that I feel that there is no possibility of spirit, or even of a higher power. Peace.
DeleteEven the sight of cobwebs can trigger sweet memories...
ReplyDeleteAn Ancient Sweetness
Agreed. When I saw this picture, I immediately thought of my father and of our home in New Mexico when I was a child.
DeleteThanks for visiting!
A beautiful moment or two spent reading this.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it. :-)
DeleteThank you for this meditation.
ReplyDeleteSeeking Elusive Sweetness
You're welcome. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteI was so moved by this post -- what a beautiful ceremony -- and you are so fortunate to have had a wonderful man who taught you the beauty of the "small" things in nature. Sending you thoughts of peace ----
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. It's true that he sometimes drove me crazy with his perfectionism, but he was one of the best people to ever come into this world, and it is a sadder place for his passing.
DeleteThank you for stopping by. :-)
Lovely!
ReplyDeleteI think we give our beloved spirits a place to rest and take water with poems like this. Like a butterfly garden. A lovely and pure memorial.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful thought. Thank you for sharing it. :-)
Deletei'm in awe of 'mariposas' (spanish-butterfly).they manifest what may the transition our body's go through after death except ours is a soul now intertwined and traveling in the universal spirit.
ReplyDeletegracias for sharing
I love all butterflies. My nickname as a child was "butterfly." Many traditions believe they carry messages to the world beyond. I too believe they're a good metaphor for what becomes of the soul after death.
Deletebeautiful Cie!! what a beautiful poem and tribute.. i love butterflies!!`really loved it!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. :-)
DeleteBeautiful thoughts here. Thank you for sharing this today-it will stay with me.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :-)
DeleteSorry for your loss, but parents live forever through us, after all we are part of them
ReplyDeleteSo true--for better and for worse. My father gave me my love of reading and writing, and of animals. He also gave me, through his genetics, the questionable gifts of obsessive-compulsive disorder (which he had) and bipolar disorder (which he didn't have, but other members of his family do.)
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
What a wonderful way to remember a beloved parent.
ReplyDeleteThank you. :-)
DeleteI believe that energy is forever. Our loved ones might change shape after death, but we keep them in our memories... and who knows, maybe like butterflies they become something else later. We'll know at the end, huh?
ReplyDeleteMay your father's smile always shine in your memory.
Yes, this is how I feel too. Thank you for your kind words.
DeleteA beautiful remembrance. The web in the sun shimmers like heaven.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. Older cultures found spirituality in things such as this spider web. Thanks for stopping by!
Deleteso sorry for your loss, dear but you have weaved a beautiful haiku. loved reading your post.
ReplyDeletestacy lynn mar
http://warningthestars.blogspot.com/
Thank you. :-)
DeleteSo beautiful...thank you for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading it. :-)
DeleteI have seen and discussed many definitions of what might come after human existence. I am in no rush to find the answer - believing partly that we can create our own heaven while we live.
ReplyDeleteI too have only memories of my father - May you and your family be blessed by every butterfly you see.
When you do make that strawberry short cake - have a bite for me :)
I'm in less of a hurry to find the answer than I was when I was younger. My particular trifecta of mental illnesses has saddled me with a brain that wants to kill me. I go through periods of suicide ideation. No planning to actually commit suicide, just fantasizing about doing so. I've come to realize that most of the time I don't actually want to kill myself, I just want life to stop being so stressful and shitty. Generally, it refuses to comply.
DeleteI've not made strawberry shortcake yet, but I did make the infamous Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert.
In case anyone wishes to make this dessert, it's very easy. It requires a 13 x 9 inch pan, 20 ice cream sandwiches, a jar of hot fudge topping, a 16 oz tub of whipped topping, and a cup of peanuts. Arrange one whole and one half ice cream sandwich on the short end of the pan, alternating wholes and halfs to the other end. Cover with half the whipped topping, drop on the hot fudge by teaspoonfuls until gone. Cover that layer with the remaining ice cream sandwiches, the remaining whipped topping, and sprinkle with the peanuts. You're welcome!
Thanks for visiting, Jules! :-)
I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice cream! Yum.
DeleteI wish blogger would alert us to replies like that other site does... I didn't know this was here until I came to thank you for such a lovely comment on my Forrest post for Carpe Diem.
I would like to think we are all just differently able in our coping. Depression can pull one in and make it seem like the walls are closing when they aren't moving at all.
All the best - Jules
I agree, it's hard to keep up with comments and replies. I tend to comment on a site and then not return. Ninja commenting, I believe the term is. I couldn't keep up with all the sites I comment at unless I'm a frequent visitor. Currently I'm not a frequent visitor anywhere except sites that I contribute to!
DeleteWhat you said about depression--I certainly know that feeling! I'm fortunate to have a very understanding husband who can sometimes at least help me understand the darkness, even if I can't get out of it right away.
Thank you for your kind comment. I know Cie will appreciate it!
shimmering at times and "invisible" at other times - like a spirit….
ReplyDeleteVery much so. Thanks for stopping by! :-)
DeleteSounds like a beautiful ceremony and the circumstances with the butterfly...well.. there is faith in there somewhere. Absolutely beautiful, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMany of the older belief systems feel that butterflies are connected to the spirit world. In any case, they represent transcendence.
DeleteThanks for your comment. :-)