Butterflies…

About this post: Kids truly say the darndest things! At 3, my oldest, (now 28) came up with my very favourite saying that became my life motto. I’ve turned into a digital print in my Etsy shop to remind me of all of the beauty that surrounds the rough times. I love butterflies, except for the bug in the middle.

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My oldest was three years old when she delightfully proclaimed “I love butterflies” and followed it up with “except for the bug in the middle.”

I thought it was one of the most brilliant things I’d ever heard…one of those mom moments where you’re left realizing that kids really and truly do say the most wonderful things as they’re so incredibly observant of the world around them.

That same kid…on the day I had my eyebrows waxed for the very first time…immediately noticed when I walked in the door with an “Oh mommy! I LOVE your eyebrows.” Then followed it up with her explanation of, “I love the way they make you look surprised!”

Not exactly the look I was going for!

When Emily was little, we lived in the basement apartment of my childhood home and since the bottom of the door could be a little breezy, I kept a rolled towel pushed against it to “keep the draft out”.

One day, someone came to visit and hadn’t put the towel back in place after they closed the door, and immediately, my daughter began to panic…freaking out about needing to put the towel back in place in order to keep the “giraffe” out.

THE GIRAFFE!

My kid thought I was trying to keep a wild giraffe from invading the comfort and safety of our sweet little home!

OK…so she was MOSTLY intelligent in her observations.

As for the butterflies…I’d never really thought about the fact that the antennae headed, six-legged, multi-eyed object between those exquisite wings…even looked like a bug at all! The only thing I saw when I looked at a butterfly was the amazing colours…but sure enough, when you look at that part between the wings…it’s rather freaky looking!

It became my outlook on life.

I love my life…all of the wonderful parts…the successes, the laughter, the love and adventures…but every now and then, there’s this bug in the middle that can get pretty uncomfortable.

Getting pregnant as a single Mom in my early twenties, my divorce and all of the misery that surrounded those years, the loss of loved ones, this whole quarantine fear…these are all rather uncomfortable, awkward, and sometimes miserable moments in this glorious life we live.

And yet…there’s so much beauty surrounding the “ugly” parts.

Life is pretty remarkable. The people who enrich our lives, our mostly brilliant and observant children, the friendships and memories we’re making throughout the years…it’s without a doubt spectacular…but every now and then…there’s this ugly part that we need to get over, in order to see the beauty around us.

My three year old said it best…”I love butterflies…except for the bug in the middle”.

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To purchase a digital download of the Butterfly print, visit my Etsy shop. I’d love to see them framed and hanging in your office or within your “gallery wall”! If you purchase one, make sure to take a photo and tag me (@queenofcurtains) on your Instagram feed! This time we’re living in right now is a little unsettling, but with each of us supporting one another…we’ll see the beauty again real soon!