by Shwetha Sridharan

Waiting for our departure[離開]， something in the sunlight caught my eyes. A moving something. A small moving something. Could it really be？ A butterfly had landed on the floor mat[草席] inside the house. Beating its wings ever so slowly， trying to catch its breath. I crept[悄悄地移動] closer， just wanting to capture[捕捉] its beauty in my hands and to admire its simplicity and intricate[錯綜復雜的] design. She sensed my presence， and we locked energies. Slowly， slowly， I inhaled[吸氣] and she beat up. I exhaled[呼氣] and she beat down. Me： Inhaling， exhaling. Her： beating up， beating down.

I pulled in[（車輛）駛近] closer and she stopped beating her wings. I held my breath. For fear of her fear， I crouched[蹲] still and silent. Pulled my body in close， head in knees， and bum[臀部] against ankles. She had a story， I could tell. I imagine she was once a white monarch[斑蝶] that flew higher and higher. Not like a bird that soars， but like blue waves on a white sand beach， bouncing and bobbing[迅速浮沉] to anywhere. Like this she traveled laterally[橫向]， all the way to the sun in a bliss[快樂] unbound. A ray from the sun hung limp[柔軟的] and loose， swaying[搖擺] like a Persian cats tail. She must have been frightened， caught in this ray. The warmth of sunset orange covered her body like glue and the heat singed[燒焦] the ends of her wings black.

Finally， a release. She opened up again， trusting me. Every scale[鱗] on her body shone brightly against the fading straw mat every time she stretched open her wings. Where have you been old lady注？ I asked. Why are you so unafraid of me， the giant moving beast？

I just couldnt believe this moment. How lucky was I to have a direct interaction with nature？ With one of its inhabitants[居民]， who knew I only wanted to learn and listen to the many stories it carried about faraway lands and sweet pollen[花粉]？ My eyes magnified[放大] like a telescope[望遠鏡] and I studied her abdomen[腹部] nestled[隱藏] in between her wings every time she stretched. We werent so different， she and I. I too want to rest sometimes， take a breather[休憩一下]， soak in my surroundings.

There are moments in time that we will remember forever， and they always always catch us by surprise， which means we can never go looking for them， but only recognize[注意到] them when they appear and just submit[順從].

Submitting to the moment is by far the most rewarding life lesson we can embody[使……體現(xiàn)]. So thank you， butterfly， thank you for believing in me and my presence， because in your slow and unassuming[謙遜的] process you made me stop and watch. You grabbed my attention and held it still， and like a baby， I got lost in your beauty.

Lately， I have been seeing butterflies everywhere. Sometimes they lay on the ground， lifeless， and sometimes they are flitting[掠過] away joyously[愉快地] with no reservations[保留]. It just seemed so paradoxical[矛盾的] that butterflies would exist in this crazy town of car noise and pollution. But they do！ They Do！ I always pictured[想象] them in gardens or fields， but never amongst the trash that sometimes lies across the side streets. What amazing notes[音符] of natures instruments[樂器]！

Now with heavy steps I stare at the ground and occasionally look up， hoping to catch a glimpse[一瞥] of a flying rainbow.

在等待啟程之時，陽光中的某個東西吸引了我的視線。某個活動著的東西。某個活動著的小東西。這有可能是真的嗎？一只蝴蝶落在了屋內(nèi)的地毯上。它如此緩慢地拍著翅膀，想要稍事歇息。我躡手躡腳地靠近了一些，只想將它的美麗捧在我的手心里，欣賞它的質(zhì)樸，以及復雜的花紋。她感覺到了我的存在，于是我們較起勁來。慢慢地，慢慢地，我吸氣，她飛起；我呼氣，她飛落。我：吸氣，呼氣。她：飛起，飛落。

我靠得更近了些，而她停止了拍動翅膀。我屏住了呼吸。由于擔心會讓她受驚，我一動不動地靜靜蹲著，把身體縮緊，頭擱在膝蓋上，臀部靠著腳踝。她是有故事的，我知道。我想象著她曾經(jīng)是一只白色的斑蝶，越飛越高。不像是翱翔的鳥兒，卻像是白色沙灘上的藍色波浪，向著四面八方跳躍起伏。她就這樣任意旅行，在無拘無束的喜悅中一路向著太陽飛去。一道陽光松軟地垂下來，像波斯貓的尾巴一樣來回擺動。被這道陽光照到，她肯定是受到了驚嚇。橙色晚霞的暖意像膠水一樣覆蓋著她的全身，熱力將她翅膀的末梢燒焦，變成了黑色。

終于，她釋然了，再次打開了翅膀，相信我了。每一次伸展開雙翅，她身上的每一塊鱗片都在褪色的草氈上閃耀出光華。你去過哪里，老伴兒？我問道。為什么你一點都不怕我，這個活動著的巨獸？

我完全無法相信這一刻的存在。能夠與大自然直接交流，我是有多么幸運啊？有誰知道，其實我只想跟隨著它的一個居民，得知并傾聽它所帶來的眾多關于遙遠國度和甜蜜花粉的故事？在她每一次伸展雙翅時，我的雙眼就像望遠鏡一般放大，研究著她翅間的腹部。我們并沒有很大差別，她和我。我也希望能在某處安歇，緩口氣，沉浸在我周圍的世界里。

一生中總有些時刻會被我們永遠銘記，而它們也總會令我們感到驚奇，也就是說，我們永遠不能去找尋它們，而只能在它們出現(xiàn)之時認之受之。接受此刻，這是到目前為止我們能夠吸取的最有價值的人生教訓。所以，謝謝你，蝴蝶，謝謝你相信我，還有我的存在，因為你那緩慢而謙卑的進程令我停下來仔細觀察。你吸引了我的注意力，又令其靜止。就像嬰兒一樣，我在你的美麗中迷失。

之后，我在各處都能見到蝴蝶。有時候它們停在地上，毫無生氣；有時候它們又快樂地輕盈掠過，毫無保留。蝶兒們能生存于這個充滿著汽車噪聲和污染的瘋狂城鎮(zhèn)里，看上去是如此地矛盾。但是它們做到了！它們做到了！我總是想象著它們飛舞于花園和田野的情景，卻從未想過也會在偶爾堆積于路邊的垃圾間見到它們。大自然樂器的音符是多么奇妙?。?/p>

如今，我邁著沉重的步伐，凝視著地面，偶爾也會仰望天空，期望能夠瞥見一道彩虹掠過的身影。