The Meaning of Butterflies

I've noticed quite a few pretty butterflies lately, just flying around enjoying themselves. I've never really been a huge fan, as I'm the type that ducks when a flying insect comes by!

However, I stopped to think about this last night on what the meaning of a butterfly was. So...I looked it up:

Humans have always projected their own beliefs, hopes, and emotions onto butterflies.

The ancient Greeks used the same word, psyche, for both the butterfly and the human soul or spirit. The Romans carved butterflies on tombstones to represent the departing souls of the dead.

The Hopi Indians set aside one day a year for a ritual butterfly dance to ensure a good harvest.

Carried on the wind, consorting only with flowers, brilliantly colored, the butterfly seems to symbolize innocent, natural beauty; it has inspired poets for centuries.

Moralists have looked at the same butterfly and seen frivolousness, shallowness, and lack of purpose . . . in strong contrast to the busy, constructive bee.

(As you can see- it's going to be a bit tough for me to honour my "I promise to not cut & paste out of the internet" comment I made a few days ago...........OOPS!)

I'll leave you with this- a comment by Chuang Tzu (Chinese Philosopher) :

"I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man."