Butterflies

I’m not okay, but everything’s gonna be alright according to the song Jelly Roll sings. This is my new way of thinking and so far so good. July is a very hard month for me, it’s been 16 months since my husband suddenly passed away Easter morning March 31, 2024 and I’m keeping his memory alive in my heart. This month we would be celebrating our 58th wedding anniversary on July 29th plus his 79th birthday is July 31st.

Last July my daughter and son-in-law went to Cherokee, North Carolina with me and we sailed a small birch bark canoe in the river where Rich and I loved to visit and blue butterflies were all around us. This past Mother’s day I drove to Indiana to be with my granddaughter, grandson and great granddaughter Lia and on the way up I stopped at Cherokee to meet with my tattoo artist and then stopped by the river to drop off some roses for Rich.

As I got out of my car, there was a big blue butterfly sitting on the stone wall and as I put my hand down, he crawled up on it. This is the second time this has happened, the first time was in the backyard while I was reorganizing Lia’s garden last September. A yellow butterfly crawled on my hand and stayed with me for about an hour. As I walked down to the river, the blue butterfly stayed on my hand and as soon as I put the roses in the water, he fluttered his wings and flew off.

I went back to Cherokee on Father’s Day weekend to have my tattoo finished. I had the angel wings done on Rich’s birthday last July and this trip was to add a rose and the words “forever in my heart” in my handwriting for the stem of the rose. I plan to have the butterflies added at some point, I think I’m one of the oldest people to every get their first tattoo.

Over the 59 years we were together, Rich rarely bought cards, instead he would write me little notes with hearts and I love you. Those mean more to me than any Hallmark card. He wrote his last note on March 23, 2024 when we were in Cherokee ready to purchase a cabin and that is what I also had tattooed on my arm on Father’s Day weekend.

After my tattoos were finished I drove back to the river to drop off more roses and once again I was greeted with both yellow and blue butterflies! They did not land on me this time but what a sight to see so many all together. Some people may not believe but I know they were signs from Rich. He is always watching over his family and guiding us along our new path.