Openhearted

I love butterflies! To me they represent beauty and freedom. I was walking the other day and I decided to take photos of the butterflies that I saw, but it turned out to be really hard. They fly quickly and if you move in too close they are off. I also discovered that they like to blend into their environment to hide from predators, so they sit on leaves with their wings shut for ages. I was standing waiting for one butterfly to open it's wings for about 10 minutes and then a car drove past and scared it away! 

I was drawing inspiration from watching the butterflies, I mean they really do blend in well with their wings shut, you have to look really hard to find them, but when their wings are open and they are flying, you don't miss them- they're truly beautiful! I was thinking, I wonder what it would look like if all the butterflies in that field had their wings open- how many would there be? It would be a beautiful sight.

Sometimes we close our hearts - just like the butterflies close their wings because we are afraid. We don't want to be judged or look silly or feel inadequate. I have realised that all these feelings are actually self inflicted. If we can love ourselves, we will not feel ashamed when someone laughs at us so it will not be hurtful anymore. If I can teach my children one thing, it would be to love who they are and to let themselves be free, to trust that what is inside of them is good. We are naturally curious beings- that's a good thing, and it's why our inner voice- our gut instinct so to speak is so important. This is why I will always encourage my children to 'follow their gut'- their hearts- whatever name you want to call it.

Every colour is beautiful!

Anyway, I wanted to draw a picture inspired by all these thoughts of butterflies and letting our hearts shine rather than hiding them away. And here it is.

The colours may appear slightly differently on your screen and I need to scan this in properly as the photo isn't  the best!

Close up

I'd like to leave you with a little story. My husband was recently out visiting a friend in hospital. He went into a shop to buy some fruit for his friend and he noticed the guy in front of him buying a box of paracetamol and a bottle of coke and a bottle of vodka. The guy paid and left and Jonny bought his stuff. He started walking towards the hospital and he saw the guy sitting outside the shop opening the vodka. Jonny initially walked past, thinking, one day maybe I'll stop for a guy like that, but he only got a few more steps before he realised 'Oh shit, it's today!". He turned around and went to sit next to the guy and said "Can I give you a hug?". The guy initially says "Why would you want to do that?" but then he agrees and when Jonny hugs him he breaks down and starts crying and says "Did you know what I was about to do?". They end up having a deep chat where the guy says he is finding it so hard that his girlfriend is giving her daughter booze and cigarettes at such a young age, the guy thinks there is something wrong with him because he has become so depressed. My husband tells him: "your problem is that you feel things, and the world needs people who feel." I loved that line. It is so true.

We need to be brave, be openhearted, let our feelings out whatever they may be and trust our hearts all the way, because that is freedom and the world needs people who feel.

If you are interested in the picture I painted, please let me know via facebook many thanks!