She was five years old at the time, standing outside the house in the warm bright spring sunshine, surrounded by a first planting of flowers. She smiled a half smile of sheer delight and wonder, listening to the perky buzz of bees, smiling at life, new life, shooting up all around.
She had a way of seeing and noticing everything...the speck of a red ant at the bottom of the step...the turn of a pinwheel in the neighbor's yard...and as she noticed things, padding along in bare feet, she happily helped her mom water dark dry soil. Shyly, she posed for a photo, holding up the large green watering can almost as big as herself.
I had that photo on my desk for years...
Suddenly, a butterfly alighted nearby, its translucent wings fluttering hello. It was the beginning of her fascination with the lovely winged creatures...
Instinctively, she only watched the butterfly, not daring to touch it's delicate form, simply staring with natural childlike awe. This was the same little girl who told me once - (her aunt), how amazed she was by bubbles in the bathtub, by stars overhead, and once, holding her hand up to sunlight, she thought she could almost see through her skin.
Artistic and musical, she was a playful child who loved to dream. Often inspired by nature, she began taking amazing photos, black-and-whites, and writing creatively in her early teens.
And a few years beyond...a young woman who still loved butterflies, she had a dainty one tattooed prettily on the curve of her back.
Remembering...this tremendously lovely, sweet and special girl...I try to understand why she took wing from us too soon...just before Spring arrived...Was she a rare bloom perhaps, intended to only fully flower in heaven...a Paradise blossom, uniquely beautiful,and oh so infinitely wondrous?
I believe so... thinking of those sparkling eyes, sugary brown and warm...And yet I can still see her smile now and it seems near...not too far away...somewhere up there...dancing on air...a delightful shimmering butterfly girl, at home in the Garden of the Lord.
Read more articles by Susan Michaels or search for articles on the same topic or others.
Susan, this is so incredibly beautiful, but also so inexpressibly sad. You've painted pictures with your words that let the reader see your precious niece. You touched my heart, made me smile, then brought a tear to my eye. Truly lovely writing and a beautiful memorial. With love, Deb (FaithWriters.com)
