There once was an enthusiast seeking a bright and colorful butterfly. He had heard rumors of its beauty, striking tears in the eyes of even the most hardened hearts. Having become disillusioned by his daily life, he set upon a voyage to find this butterfly and followed the rumors to a distant and exotic land.
After many days seeking and as many days of disappointment, he once more found himself trekking through the forest. He was lonesome and scared, unfamiliar sounds and danger surrounding him. He gashed his leg upon a thorned branch and decided to press deeper despite his many reasons to return. Farther in, with his day’s rations wearing thin, he came upon a clearing where the radiant warmth of the sun bathed his face. He closed his eyes to marvel in the experience, forgetting about the butterfly altogether.
In the midst of the fulfilling peace, he opened his eyes and beheld the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. The opulence of its wings danced the light of the sun onto the tears streaming down his face. The man let out a gasp of marvel as the lovely butterfly he sought landed upon his outstretched and trembling hand.
He reveled in the state of fulfillment, feeling the peace underneath where previously there was exasperated effort. A knowing laugh bubbled up from within at the simplicity of it all. As the daylight faded, he continued to watch the butterfly now fluttering around the clearing. He pitched camp at the periphery of the clearing and fell asleep with a smile upon his face despite the rumbling in his stomach and the unfamiliar sounds from within the forest. The object of his heart’s desire now fluttered in his dreams.
The man awoke well rested and saw the butterfly perched upon a branch by the clearing’s edge opposite him. He was comforted by occasional glances while packing up camp, readying himself to return home. During his last glance before taking the path home, the butterfly fluttered off into the forest as if to say goodbye. The man grew afraid of never beholding this butterfly again and ignored the feeling to let it go. He pulled a net from his pack, guided by the thought that if he could capture it then he could experience its beauty forever. He was further encouraged by the thought of being able to share its beauty with others back home.
After a short and somewhat panicked search in the forest where he last saw it leave the clearing, he flushed with joy when his eyes again fell upon it, looking somewhat altered outside the brightness of the clearing. He was as careful as possible as he swung his net, only lightly damaging its fragile wings as he claimed his prize.
Later, as he was preparing for his journey home, he often smiled in self-congratulation as he peered towards the jar where he placed the butterfly. It would periodically flap awkwardly in the little space it had. The man had taken every practical precaution to ensure its safe transport back home, providing holes for fresh air, nourishment, and some local effects from the area.
The journey back to his land was long, but sped up by the man’s excitement at the thought of letting the butterfly free within the safety of his home. He imagined telling his friends and family the story, relating the beauty and revealing the butterfly at the exact moment it was seen in the story, expecting to see the same glow in their hearts as there had been within his. Although he tried convincing himself it wasn’t a draw, he knew it made him more attractive in the eyes of others.
As he gathered his luggage after the long passage, the man was distraught to see his beloved butterfly was no longer moving its wings. He stopped by his town library on the way home and grabbed every book remotely related to butterflies. In his study, he placed the jar and its motionless contents on his desk as he poured through his books. Although each offered sage advice, every desperate attempt he made to reanimate the winged creature left him feeling its vivacity and beauty fade.
Friends and family visited to hear his tales and see the beauty of the fabled butterfly. Although he tried to relate the ecstasy of seeing it flutter in the forest clearing, others were content with beholding the novelty of the pretty colors and shapes of the wings. The man became exasperated at his inability to convey the purity and mourned the loss of the weakening creature, feeling responsible for its demise. As the last bits of life faded, he wondered if he really even knew the beauty of its life that day as the experience too died, now accompanying the lifeless corpse of the butterfly as a haunting memory.
News continued to travel and people from the surrounding areas came to visit, not minding that the insect had passed. The man had since propped its lifeless body with pins in a display case which soon gathered dust and smudged fingerprints of the tourists. When the man grew overwhelmed by the constant reminder of the death of his heart’s desire, he donated the display to a museum where others could continue to worship the corpse, knowing nothing of the life which once coursed within.
The man spent much time in a dazed and grieving stupor. He had beheld the very source of his heart’s longing within that forest clearing, every part of him overflowing with love. Then he witnessed its death, leaving him yearning more than ever before.
More time passed and the pain of the loss yielded to the wisened simplicity of life. He spent his time gardening, visiting with loved ones, and taking care of himself. One day, while out working his garden, the cloud layer above cleared and the man noticed a faint fluttering out of the corner of his eye. He turned to watch in awe as the butterfly crossed through his garden, his heart again beaming. As the butterfly crossed out of view, the man smiled deeply and returned to tending to his garden.
Submitted March 10, 2022 at 02:01AM by asgaines25 https://ift.tt/2rW6Lvu
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