Positive Focus Sunday - Knocking On Your Front Door

The past few weeks I have been somewhat obsessed with my monarch butterflies. I have had two chrysalis hanging on my front porch eave. I have watched 3-4 other newly hatched monarchs fluttering around the milkweed. The milkweed which is now about 8 feet fall and turning my house into that 'creepy' old house. Which I love, by the way.

So the last butterfly hatched and I watched it slowly dry its wings and take its first flight into the world. Then I turned around to go inside and saw this...

Yes, there on my front door was an empty chrysalis! Right there at eye level. And did I ever notice it? A bright green 'gummy' hanging on a black door? 

No...

I was a bit taken aback as I had looked around the bushes near the balloon milkweed for other chrysalis. But I never noticed the one on my door - the door I go in and out several times a day. The door I stand by to call the dogs into the house. The door I have to pause in front of to unlock when I come home from work or running errands. And I never saw it until the monarch had hatched and flown off. 

A chrysalis is a powerful thing, but also extremely fragile. It can contain a caterpillar morphing into a brilliant butterfly - a magical process. However, it is hair-thin and will crumble at a touch when empty. The chrysalis reminds me of a glass slipper which fits only that particular butterfly. 

This points out the need to be more mindful. Mindful of my surroundings. Mindful of all the 'gifts' I have sitting on my doorstep and all I have to do is open the door and see them. 

How often does that happen to us? We don't see what is literally 'knocking on our door', looking for something everywhere but right there in front of us. 

I think I will be looking more carefully for butterflies now.