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{Straight From the Heart} *Butterfly Courage* 5/18/00
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Butterfly Courage
By David L. Kuzminski
Walking down a path through some woods in Georgia in 1977, I saw a water
puddle ahead on the path. I angled my direction to go around it on the part
of the path that wasn't covered by water and mud. As I reached the puddle, I
was suddenly attacked!
Yet, I did nothing, for the attack was so unpredictable and from a source so
totally unexpected. I was startled as well as unhurt, despite having been
struck four or five times already. I backed up a foot and my attacker stopped
attacking me. Instead of attacking more, he hovered in the air on graceful
butterfly wings in front of me. Had I been hurt I wouldn't have found
it amusing, but I was unhurt, it was funny, and I was laughing. After
all, I was being attacked by a butterfly!
Having stopped laughing, I took a step forward. My attacker rushed me again.
He rammed me in the chest with his head and body, striking me over and over
again with all his might, still to no avail. For a second time, I retreated
a step while my attacker relented in his attack. Yet again, I tried moving
forward. My attacker charged me again. I was rammed in the chest over and
over again. I wasn't sure what to do, other than to retreat a third time.
After all, it's just not everyday that one is attacked by a butterfly.
This time, though, I stepped back several paces to look the situation over.
My attacker moved back as well to land on the ground. That's when I
discovered why my attacker was charging me only moments earlier. He had a
mate and she was dying. She was beside the puddle where he landed. Sitting
close beside her, he opened and closed his wings as if to fan her. I could
only admire the love and courage of that butterfly in his concern for his
mate. He had taken it upon himself to attack me for his mate's sake, even
though she was clearly dying and I was so large.
He did so just to give her those extra few precious moments of life, should
I have been careless enough to step on her. Now I knew why and what he was
fighting for. There was really only one option left for me. I carefully made
my way around the puddle to the other side of the path, though it was only
inches wide and extremely muddy.
His courage in attacking something thousands of times larger and heavier
than himself just for his mate's safety justified it. I couldn't do
anything other than reward him by walking on the more difficult side
of the puddle. He had truly earned those moments to be with her,
undisturbed. I left them in peace for those last few moments, cleaning
the mud from my boots when I later reached my car.
Since then, I've always tried to remember the courage of that butterfly
whenever I see huge obstacles facing me. I use that butterfly's courage as
an inspiration and to remind myself that good things are worth fighting for.
David L. Kuzminski
AtkButterfly@prodigy.com
Send David an email and let him know what you thought about his story!
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A little bit about David:
Using a pen name, Dave's fiction has been published in several dozen print
and electronic publications. As well, he has eight science fiction novels
published and more scheduled for publication. When he's not writing, he can
be found disguised as a mild-mannered computer programmer.
Check out his website at:
Click here: Attack Butterfly's Science Fiction
http://pages.prodigy.net/atkbutterfly
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Thought For The Day:
"He who has learned to obey will know how to command."
Verse for the Day:
"The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool come to ruin."
Proverbs 10:8
Kid's Thought for the day:
"If you are going to lose a mitten, you might as well lose the pair."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Train your child in a way in which you know you should have gone yourself."
Coach's Thought For The Day
"Profanity is a device that makes ignorance audible."
Deep Thought For The Day:
"If a man comes to the door dressed in a Pizza-Hut hat, he's probably
a pizza guy. If a guy comes to the door dressed in a white hockey
mask, he's probably not a pizza guy, and you should close the door
in a hurry!"
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
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