Last week we traveled to the north shore of Lake Superior for a few days vacation. During our time there I saw many monarch butterflies still fluttering around the fall flowers. It made me marvel once again at how amazing these creatures are.
Consider the Monarch Butterfly
With seemingly fragile bodies they manage to fly all the way from Canada and northern tier states of the United States to southwestern Mexico for the winter. The trip can be over 3,000 miles! While the migration north is made by successive generations of butterflies (up to 5 generations), the migration to Mexico is made by a single generation of “super” monarch butterflies that can live up to 8 months.
It seems almost like a fairy tale someone made up. These fragile insects will fly for up to 3,000 miles??? Where do they find the strength to fly that distance? How do they find their way? What signals tell them it’s time to fly south? And why do the butterflies born in late summer become “super” butterflies?
And then there’s the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly which totally blows my mind. What does the process feel like for the caterpillar? How does the butterfly feel when it first takes wing?
Life is truly amazing and miraculous!
It fills me with wonder and gratitude to live in a world like this surrounded by ordinary miracles and beauty. The next time you are feeling that there is no magic in the world, consider the monarch butterfly.
May you walk in beauty.
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