My Forever Monarch

I've been waiting for the right day to blip this, and today seemed right. 

Most of you know that I set out this past summer/fall to dedicate each Monarch that I raised and released in memory of someone.  In the process, I lheard so many touching stories ... of mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sisters, brothers, grandparents, friends.  Of people who had been loved in life and were missed in death.  Each story touched me, but none more deeply than the ones about children who were gone.  

So what does this all have to do with today's blip?  

Monarch #19 was released at the request of a friend of mine.  Two friends of hers had lost their 20-something son last year.  His name was Davey, and he loved butterflies.  I took several photos of his butterfly for his parents, including this one.  Several weeks later, I received a small box in the mail with this beautiful hand-painted river rock.  Davey's father, an artist, had painted it for me using one of the photos I had given them.  The rock was collected in California, where Davey was born, and the note attached from his father said  "you finally have a monarch you can keep."  It is one of the most touching and precious gifts I've ever received.  And holding that perfect, smooth stone in my hand (see Extra), feeling it take on my body warmth and knowing the story behind it is ...well, magic.

And we all need a little magic some days, don't we?

xo
Debbi

PS:  I am planning to get a new tatoo to complement the small rose on my shoulder and the butterfly painted on this stone is going to be the artwork that I'll have the tatooist use.