If you want to call me a moth....

If you want to call me a moth, call me a moth, but when I look in the mirror all I see is a butterfly – Sheila Hansen

This week was spent reflecting on who I am and finding what it is that makes me happy.  I was reminded of a quote that I actually came up with a few years ago. With Mother’s Day coming up, this post will have perfect timing. 

To fill you in completely, this story starts back in college.  I was the first in our family to go off to college, and being my parent’s little girl it was tough for them to send me off to another city.  We got everything moved into my dorm room and later after they had left I found a hidden note from my mom.  I no longer remember the details of the note, but I do know that it referenced butterflies. This started my Mom’s Butterfly “obsession.”  I began receiving “Butterfly” related gifts randomly, for birthdays, for Christmas….you name it and my Mom probably gave it to me at some point.  A few of the specific ones I remember are a neon butterfly light, a huge poster of butterflies, a butterfly cookie jar, butterfly themed notepads, and butterfly shaped pillows.  Eventually I got her to settle down a bit, and while I appreciated that she cared about me, we came to an understanding that I didn’t have a need for most of these items.   Butterflies continued to stay with me through life and whenever I see one I think back to the love my Mom had for her daughter!

Fast forward a few years to a conversation I was having with my husband.  We were discussing a “cocoon” and how I like to be wrapped up in blankets like I am in a cocoon.  I made the connection that I am like a butterfly coming out of the cocoon.  He quickly informed me that cocoon was not the correct word for a butterfly.  A cocoon is what a moth grows in, but a butterfly grows in a chrysalis.  My very quick and clever response (which I was very proud of at the time) was “If you want to call me a moth, call me a moth, but when I look in the mirror all I see is a butterfly!”  Even though it wasn’t correct, he was proud of my quote!

Fast forward to the present, this week as I was thinking about who it is I am and how others view me, I am reminded of the quote.  I AM that butterfly I see in the mirror. There maybe others who view me as a moth, but at the end of the day I am a butterfly and if I am happy calling myself a butterfly, what does it matter what they think!  I am lucky to have a Mom that helped me see that butterfly years ago and has been there to make sure that I never lose sight of the butterfly that is inside of me.  

 Happy Mother’s Day Mom!!