StoryPeople Forum - StoryPeople Forum

anntinasia · 26/08/2008 20:48:53 Subject: The elusive butterfly

I have always loved the quote of the Elusive Butterfly, never knowing that there was a story behind it. A friend of mine sent this to me the other day. I had recently told him that i was lonely for a companion.....He also wrote me a personl note that touched my heart....I told him that God had "told" him to send it to me. That it wasn't a mere coincience that someone had just sent it TO HiM! Thank you God for sending me all these small but wonerful and touching miricles. There has been so many lately that I can feel my heart healing......
Here is the story. Enjoy! P.S. I esp. like the descrioption of the butterfly....

Anntinasia

"Sometimes life calls for an unexpected hat!"

"Everything you can imagine is real."
~Pablo Picasso~

anntinasia · 26/08/2008 20:52:25 Subject: Re: The elusive butterfly

The Elusive Butterfly
by Melanie Schurr
Long ago, in the land of Heart, lived a fair maiden who dared to dream
dreams. As a young child, she recalled how her father would set her on
his strong knee and tell her many wondrous stories about far away and
exciting places; lands she somehow knew she would one day come to also
travel upon. Of the many tales her father would tell, there was one
particular story that always held special meaning, even carrying her
into adulthood. It was the presumed true tale of a certain species of
butterfly, one that was seen by very few. What made the butterfly
highly sought after was its emerald green wings which housed two small
heart shapes, one on each wing, thus its coined name, "the elusive
butterfly of love." It was said that the person who finds the elusive
butterfly would live happily ever after, thus, it is no wonder the
maiden searched ardently for the rare insect.

As a child, the fair maiden would prance about the woods with a
butterfly net; laughing, smiling, and dancing about in glee, certain
she would soon catch the elusive butterfly, but, to no avail. Weeks
turned into months, and months into years, and the fair maiden grew
older and wiser, wondering if perhaps the elusive butterfly of love
was just a silly tale that old fishermen pass on as they sip their
bottles of whiskey at sea.

One day, tired of searching, the maiden set down her net, and placing
her face in her hands she began to cry. Upon the drying of her salty
tears, the fair maiden decided to go on with living, no longer would
the search for the elusive butterfly be part of her life.

Life, indeed, did go on, and one day, when the fair maiden was going
about her daily errands, an odd-looking shape fluttered about her
head. The maiden waved her arms to shoo the insect away, but no matter
what she did, it would keep flying about.

The next day, the maiden was surprised to see the odd-looking shape
back again. Closer inspection revealed it was some sort of moth or
butterfly. In no way did it look like the elusive butterfly of love,
in fact, this butterfly's markings and colors were quite different.
And so, the fair maiden would go about her errands, and the
odd-looking butterfly would follow her, returning each day to flutter
about her head. It was not long before the fair maiden and the
butterfly formed a unique relationship. For some odd reason, the
butterfly seemed to enjoy the maiden's company, and the fair maiden
felt a sense of peace and comfort, knowing her winged companion would
never leave her side.

Many years passed, and one day, for some strange reason, the fair
maiden recalled how she used to search for the elusive butterfly of
love. In fact, the more she looked at her faithful winged companion,
the more she wondered about the validity of the story of the elusive
butterfly. Curiosity soon began to turn into discontentment with the
butterfly she had devoted so much of her life to. "Look at you," she
whispered to her faithful companion as he sat upon her finger, "You
are not beautiful emerald green. Now, especially after so many years,
your wings are dull and frayed. Do not worry though, my little friend,
you are not the elusive butterfly of love, but you have been faithful,
good, and true. I will keep you by my side always."

Anntinasia

"Sometimes life calls for an unexpected hat!"

"Everything you can imagine is real."
~Pablo Picasso~

anntinasia · 26/08/2008 20:54:35 Subject: Re: The elusive butterfly

The maiden set down her winged companion and went outside to the rose
garden to get a breath of fresh air, and what did she see? Green as a
sparkling cut emerald fluttering about, a pink heart on each wing; the
elusive butterfly of love! Like a young school girl, the maiden
pranced with glee, scarcely able to believe her eyes! Suddenly, it
dawned on the maiden that now she must decide what to do; should she
run for a net, or just watch the elusive butterfly as it flutters
about her garden, soon to fly away and most likely never be seen
again. Joy turned to sadness as the maiden knew what she must do. The
maiden gave the elusive butterfly one final look, acknowledging his
existence, and turning away, walked out of the garden to return to her
faithful winged companion who had befriended her so many years ago.

Inside the house, the maiden was shocked to see her dear friend
looking strangely ill. His wings beat weakly, and he could not even
manage to fly. The maiden gently picked up her companion and caressed
him in the palm of her hand, clearly evident he was at the end of his
life. Upon the butterfly's final breath, the maiden shed many tears,
tears which flowed over her loving companions frail body. Suddenly, as
if out of nowhere, a glimmer of light came from out of her hand. "What
is this?" the maiden thought. The ragged wings of her beloved
companion seemed to reveal under them something more lovely.
Carefully, and tenderly, the maiden peeled away the tattered, old
shell which encased her winged friends body, to reveal beautiful wings
of emerald green, a small pink heart on each side. Both tears and joy
filled the maiden's heart, and her story was thus passed down by the
old fishermen sitting down by the sea.

Real life application:
Aren't we all guilty to some degree of searching for or desiring
something that, in most cases, is right under our very noses?
Thankfully, unlike the above fictional story, love is not elusive at
all, and in fact, it is all around us, if we would only fearlessly
trust, not only God, but the power of love.

© 1998 Melanie Schurr

Anntinasia

"Sometimes life calls for an unexpected hat!"

"Everything you can imagine is real."
~Pablo Picasso~

khobdy · Messages: 221 Location: Darmstadt, Indiana

Really really cool. Kandy

It's never too late to be who you might have been. George Eliot
-----------------
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.
Albert Einstein

mousemaid · Messages: 323 Location: by woods on a snowy evening

Was this story meant for me? Truly... this is me and my husband... me wanting someone who "adores" me - not realizing the beautiful reality of his love through his devotion until recently.

One thing the Sweet Potato Queen has tought me (though not so eloquently) is that you will not find your "Spud" in the Romance Department... he will be in the Beer and Power Tools Departments. Ain't it true? There seems to be someting so much more worthy in a real man who is there for me always than a false romantic that isn't.

Has anyone else noticed that I had a few glasses of wine tonight?

I love being able to ramble here - thank you all so much!

accept who you are then let her be. happiness follows.
- ms scarlett

anntinasia · 27/08/2008 23:31:58 Subject: Re: The elusive butterfly

Was this story meant for me? Truly... this is me and my husband... me wanting someone who "adores" me - not realizing the beautiful reality of his love through his devotion until recently.

Wow! we have a real elusive butterfly in our midst!!! Way cool!
How wonderful to see how beautiful he really is, mousemaid.

Anntinasia

"Sometimes life calls for an unexpected hat!"

"Everything you can imagine is real."
~Pablo Picasso~

mousemaid · Messages: 323 Location: by woods on a snowy evening

"For some odd reason, the butterfly seemed to enjoy the maiden's company, and the fair maiden felt a sense of peace and comfort, knowing her winged companion would never leave her side."

yes... yes, exactly!

accept who you are then let her be. happiness follows.
- ms scarlett

hecticeclectic · 10/09/2008 15:06:50 Subject: Re: The elusive butterfly

t, i love this story. reminds me a bit of the Velveteen Rabbit when the rabbit becomes "real", tattered fur and all.

Peace, Jo

Look up at the sky. Ask yourself, "Has the sheep eaten the flower or not?" And you'll see how everything changes.
And no grown-up will ever understand how such a thing could be so important!
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, THE LITTLE PRINCE