Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
John Miller
08/30/21
- Windstream Mail
R E F L E C T I O N S Thoughts on nature and the Christian faith - 8/30/21 _______________________________________________________________________ "The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away." - Ps. 90:10 |
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Sometimes when you are involved in nature photography, you just take what nature gives you. When I took this picture I was hiding in an overgrown meadow waiting for deer to wander in at dusk. Suddenly a flash of color caught my eye. An eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly landed a few yards from me. Even though I had a large telephoto lens mounted on my camera, I couldn't pass up the shot. It's amazing how a little encounter with beauty can brighten up an otherwise drab day. After a few minutes, the butterfly flew away but the feeling of peace it brought remained. Butterflies have always fascinated humans throughout history. The ancient Greeks used the word "psyche" to describe them, a term that meant life-force or breath. The Bible often translates this word as "soul". Just as a butterfly transforms from a caterpillar into a beautiful winged creature, so will we be transformed into a new creature and eventually fly away to our heavenly home. May we add beauty and color to our world as we await our time to fly away. My wife Jo, like many others, has had more than her share of pain and suffering recently as well as disappointment and abuse in her younger years. And yet, she still manages to show color and beauty in a dark world. Her favorite hymn, as you might guess, is "I'll Fly Away". I think of her when I see butterflies. I think of the day when we will both fly away to a place where pain, sorrow, and sin will be no more. But most of all, I think of the one who will meet us when we arrive. - John
