Sunday, August 1, 2010

A Tale of Roots and Wings

'Butterfly Dreaming' is complete now, and is soft and substantial, made from mostly silks and linen with a cotton spiral moon and rayon tree trunk. Not long ago, Tree was desperately wishing she could flit like Butterfly from flower to flower, seeking nectar and new vistas to behold. Instead, she remained solidly rooted to the earth, stuck in the same place day after season. One day when Butterfly landed near her, the tree asked if she might trade Butterfly some roots for her wings. Butterfly was quite surprised by this request and asked why Tree wanted wings. After Tree told her of dreaming she could fly to distant lands to experience something other then her backyard home, Butterfly understood and then pointed out that in staying rooted in one place, Tree really got to know the environment around her throughout the years and seasons - she could witness how the beast friends that walked under her, flew over her or nested in her branches were changing and growing. "How lucky you are", said Butterfly, "to be so connected. You do not have to keep searching and searching farther afield for your needs but can just rest and draw nurturance from your roots." Tree had never thought about it like that before and could see her groundedness in a new light. And what's more, she suddenly realized that she did have wings of a sort that carried her to new places in the Imagine Nation - that each year she could dream new leaves and shoots into being and that through her creation, she would always be refreshed and renewed without having to leave home. 'Thankyou, Butterfly - you have taught me a lesson', Tree said, and from that day onward she took great satisfaction in watching and participating fully in her life and all the life around her, joyfully rooted in her Home.
Maybe I will tuck Tree's story into a back pocket for this cloth - a story pocket so she will always remember.

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