Butterfly in our Room

One early morning, I was suddenly awakened. The sun hadn’t risen up. Sweet OPM’s from the radio filled the entire house. The humming sound of the electric fan echoed lightly. And there I was, astonished to see a magnificent brown butterfly on the wall beside me. It has black and white stripes and its wings have a beautiful white lower tip.

It was fluttering from wall to wall of our cornered room. I was definitely surprised to see a butterfly that close—about a few inch from my bed-laden body. I almost could feel its wings on my skin. Amazed to see something unusual on an unusual time of the day, I instinctively didn’t move and let the lepidopteran flutter across our room.

Most of the time it was near me and I could easily grab it, but by playing to be an unmoving thing, I have observed its beauty. Then, an idea came to me. What if I grab a book from under my pillow (for I have always my Bible and a book I’m currently reading under my pillow) and capture the lovely creature? But the idea gave me the horror. It was really a horrible thing to execute to a co-creation. I can’t do it (my conscience stabbed me) to an innocent creature.

It kept on flying, fluttering as it was lost in a strange world of wall and indescribable human things. Even if I hadn’t trapped it in the pages of a book, surely it was locked in the sleeping world of man.

I decided to sit on my bed and follow the wonderful living thing with my stare. There was an urge for me to help the helpless being, but I didn’t know how. I wanted to tell it, here is the way out, my little friend, but I couldn’t. All I know is that I was connected to it and its presence satisfied me. It is like having a friend lingering.

As I intently watched my friend to flutter, I saw a house lizard on the wall nearby. I was alarmed. This lizard feasts on insects. Can this reptile prey on such wonderful insect? Then, logic came to me. Of course it couldn’t. Obviously, my friend is bigger than the lizard. Maybe, like me, the lizard was amazed to see this magnificent insect.

I enjoyed observing the butterfly and had ignored the 30 minutes that passed. It may sound crazy and absurd, but I have been trying to converse with my new friend in my mind. I was really determined to set free the trapped insect. Though I like its presence near to me, that creature does not belong there. I was busy planning of what to do without disturbing the sleep of my comrades. When I searched again for the butterfly, it was gone.

Feeling lonely, I went out of our room and recovered from the night’s sleep. When I came back, there it was. I knew it was saying goodbye. I let the door open and let my little beautiful friend found its way out. I followed it until it really made a victorious escape from our haven.

By that time, the sun was already peeping. Then, I have to written these words.

*This writing is first posted as a note on Facebook.