Hellos and Goodbyes

Posted on by Life with Alegria

It was still dark when I got out of bed after a restless night with a busy mind, feeling the loss of siblings and parents whose anniversaries seem to culminate at this time of year. 

I made myself a cup of tea and went outside to watch the sun say her good morning hellos. 

Broken clouds filtered the rays that fell upon dewy grass, promising a warm summery day. 

As I walked towards the willow tree I noticed a monarch butterfly swaying lightly on a branch. I know the incredible journey these beautiful beings take each year at this time, so stepped away, allowing her some much needed rest. 

Each year Monarchs fly through my backyard and many other Southern Ontario backyards in their flight to Mexico. These are the Super Butterflies, the third generation of the year. And the ones that are born here to make the long trek south to Michoacan, their ancestral home, over 3,000 kilometres away.

Each year as summer waves her goodbyes, I say my goodbyes to the monarchs with good thoughts for their flight. 

It’s a treacherous journey not unlike the journey we all take through life. 

We are where we are due in part to the choices of those who came before us. And we too make our long trek alone to a destination we know nothing about, finding our way through sunshine and storms. Just like the monarchs, we explore and search, seek and find, and say many hellos and goodbyes. 

Not all make it. 

Just yesterday I found a lifeless monarch laying in the grass of my front lawn. I said my goodbyes to her as I carried her inside. 

Mexican folklore tells of the monarch’s arrival at the end of October, as being the souls of dead relatives. Their timing is so precise, flitting through cemeteries filled with flowers, food and families on El Dia de los Muertos (the day of the dead). A day that offers a chance to once again say hello to the ones you loved and lost. 

In Mexican culture this day signifies not absence, but living presence. Acknowledging that life and death are both temporary and cyclic, each representing the other. Perhaps a lesson we’ve learned from the monarchs, where the hellos and goodbyes are intimately linked. 

As I walked through my backyard that early morning, soft splashy raindrops with big spaces between them, began to fall. And a full bright rainbow came into view. Its colourful spectrum emblazoned across the sky, a symbol of life, acceptance, and new beginnings. 

Hello! I’m Alegria and I’m new here at HoTM. It’s good to meet you. I blog at LifewithAlegria where I look forward to inspiring you to find joy in the journey and the destination. I will be posting here the first Tuesday of each month. Thanks to Vicki and Wynne for the invitation. Drop a line to say hello as I begin this new journey.

46 thoughts on “Hellos and Goodbyes”

  1. Welcome, Alegria and thank you. Thank you…for a beautiful, inspirational post. What a treat to read this morning. There are so many hellos and goodbyes in life and your reminder to pause hits home. 💕

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  3. The monarchs population has drastically reduced in recent years and are on the list for designation as endangered species. Those who love them might consider donating to environmental organizations to help prevent their continuing loss due to climate change and pesticides.

    Thank you for mentioning them, Alegria. Your voice is a welcome addition to this site. And thank you for your positive comment on Mexican culture — much needed, also.

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    1. Thank you Dr. Stein. I appreciate you mentioning the need to donate. For those who can’t donate, simply planting milkweed in your garden may help. It is the only plant upon which monarchs will lay their eggs. Unfortunately milkweed had been vilified as an invasive species for many years and is in low supply. You’re right about the monarch population dwindling due to climate change and pesticides. I’ve noticed it myself anecdotally. I don’t think many realize how important these beings are to the fundamental workings of our planet.
      Thank you for your important comment Dr. Stein and your appreciation of monarchs and Mexican culture as well.

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  8. Oh, this is so beautiful, Alegria! What an incredible journey and inspiration provided by these amazing butterflies. And you’ve written this so beautifully to tie to the lessons in our lives. Wow wow wow! Thank you for a great post!

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    1. Oh thank you Wynne. What a beautiful message. There is so much inspiration all around us. We gain many insights from nature. The magic unfolds when we connect and allow it. Thanks for your words my friend and for having me here. 💕

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  12. It was interesting to learn more about the Day of the Dead! I love how it focuses on living presence. How fascinating and lovely.

    Monarch butterflies are beautiful and it’s interesting to think about the large migration happening around us, hidden from most of our plain sight!

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    1. Thanks Ab for your lovely message. The Day of the Dead is of huge cultural significance in Mexico and actually lasts for more than one day. It does focus on joy and living, which seems counterintuitive when we talk about death, but it is a joyful time of celebration of a living soul.
      It’s true isn’t it about Monarchs. Their journey happens in plain sight, yet we are not in tune with it. Nature holds many wonders for us if we simply look.
      Thank you for being here and appreciating.

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  15. A very beautiful post, dear Alegria. I love the metaphor of the journey of the Monarch as representative of the challenges of our own lives, and in fact, the connectedness, beauty, and wonder of all life. Thank you for your uplifting words. 🙂

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  16. I probably have mentioned this before, but my oldest brother is the vice-president of The North American Butterfly Association (NABA) I’ve learned a few things about butterflies through him. The other remarkable thing about monarchs is not only the distance they travel, but their short life span. Many live only 2-6 weeks, but for some reason the last generation of the year can live 9 months. I’m guessing it’s related to the climate? Maybe the youngest are the spoiled ones for a reason. 😊

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    1. Thanks for sharing that Peter. Nice to meet you. I did know that about your brother. And yes, the super butterflies, sometimes known as the Methuselahs fly the farthest and live the longest. They are the third generation, standing on shoulders of giants.
      Thank you for reading and sharing your message.

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