Butterfly Message

My husband wrote this for his sister who died in 2001. I'm sharing it on my blog so I do not lose  it. I think its beautiful.

Butterfly Message for Dearest Carolyn
Our Daughter, Our Sister, Mother, Wife and Friend

July 1, 1965 – May 9, 2001

By Andre M. Broussard

Your beautiful smile now will be shared by all to see. You smiled through the pain. Your many Journeys through life have been a challenge. You have managed to continue on, when so many would have given up. Your strength and courage has been a personal testament to us all. You have earned your wings among the Angels.

Your growth and development reminds us all of the Butterfly Message which went as follows:
A man found a cocooned butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seems to stop making progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could not go any farther. So, to help the butterfly he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small-shriveled wings. The man watched and waited for the butterfly to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in all of our lives. If God were to let us go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly! Carolyn, God healing your wings enabling you to soar above us all, has given us hope, that one day our wings will be healed, and each of us will be able to fly together someday.

Now, when we look up among the stars, and gaze at the many beautiful wonders of the night, your star will be the newest and brightest of them all. When we feel the heat from the sun upon us, it will be you embracing us all, letting your loved ones know, you have arrived safely into God’s arms, and you have been greeted by other loved ones, who arrived earlier. And you have been welcomed with open loving arms.
From time to time, there will be signals from you above, reminding each of us that you are keeping a watchful eye on us all. Each time we see a butterfly, we will see you.

We release you for your long awaited journey home. We all know you have left a piece of you here, to protect the many memories of you.
You are loved and cherished and will always be remembered.

Love, your family and friends.