V2_Issue2

2 Measures Above Cloud 9
We Dance With Butterflies
A butterfly caught my eye. It fluttered and dropped, fluttered and dropped, fluttered...
and...dropped. Then, as if home, it landed on his nose. Curious and cross-eyed, Nicodemus
looked up, sneezed, then smiled at me.
I thought nothing of the butterfly. Pretty, but nothing out of the ordinary. But
because this particular butterfly was so insistent at flying in close circles around us, I couldn’t
help but observe its unusual markings—brownish-black in color, a red-orange band across its
left wing, and a huge white dot on its opposite side. Unique for a Red Admiral.
I had recently moved to Baltimore and was lonesome without a pet. It was a time when
new beginnings and revitalized hope were welcome. On this early morning in May, the birds
were chirping, and the smell of spring filled the air. Vast acres of rolling hills glistened with
dew. The trees were lush. The flowers, brilliant.
I never felt better. I was adopting a dog.
My decision was made. Nicodemus was soon to become my first dog (“Rescue Dogs: A First
Second” at AmericanPetMagazine.com Volume 1 Issue 2 on page 7). He wasn’t even mine yet, and he
welcomed me with a wagging tail. So, I welcomed him with open arms.
During the adoption process I would visit Nicodemus. Taken by surprise, I noticed this
butterfly at each visit. It seemed to be waiting just for us. With closer inspection, I observed
identical markings. How peculiar it would be if it was the same butterfly.
Certainly there must be more than one of its kind.
While surrounded by other needy animals at the Baltimore Humane Society
(http//:www.bmorehumane.org), I sought out the magical butterfly. It was nowhere to be
found. The butterfly appeared only with Nicodemus—my own one of a kind.
I diverted my attention from the butterfly, and focused on my herding dog that was
trying so hard to woo me over. After all, I was adopting a dog, not a butterfly. I suppose this
butterfly was part of the package. I laughed it off as a coincidence, and not a “miracle” from
above, and continued filing my application. Even so, it was that specific butterfly that made my
adoption process so riveting.
42 AmericanPetMagazine.com
Written by Christina Bournias
...Continued on Page 43