Flutterflying: The Art of Living Lightly
Flutterflying: spreading one’s wings, embracing spontaneity, colour, energy, passion, and light to dance through life. Flutterflying teaches us to flow and flutter in the moment, to not always take the straight road in life, that magic lies in those twists and turns, to take on those somersaults and half rolls along the way.
As we walk along fields and country lanes and roadways we pass verges lined with wildflowers and teeming with butterflies of all shapes, colours and sizes. There is a deep sense of joy of seeing butterflies on my journey. These freedom loving creatures add beauty, energy and colour to the steps along the way.
Magic Weavers
Butterflies flitter flutter around weaving their magic, adding flashes of floating moving colour through the landscape.
Our walking seems so regulated and marching-like compared to the effortless exuberant dance of these creatures of the moment.
As they float and flutter from flower to flower they leave a bit of sun dust as they sip the flower juice that sustains their energetic dance.
Dance In The Moment
Butterflies remind me to live in the moment. To make every moment a dance. To find rhythm and flow in my walking. To enjoy each moment even the challenging ones because they will soon disappear.
I can’t help but think of that famous quote which has been attributed to many different people:
“You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.”
Life Is Short
Butterflies remind me of the shortness of life.
We are like butterflies here to add joy and colour and life. To spread our wings and sprinkle happiness as we dance through life.
Dance In The Light
Butterflies dance in the light. They only know light and lightness from the moment they emerge from their cocoon.
They embrace light and they become light. Knowing that their life will soon end doesn’t weigh them down. They know their life is short and fill each moment with enchantment.
Heavy Darkness
Don’t let darkness weigh you down. Whenever you find yourself anxious, angry, upset think of the butterfly.
I have known many dark moments as no doubt you have and I have also wasted many moments sitting in heavy darkness. It only keeps you cocoon-bound till you realise that life is lived in the light.
The Flight of the Butterfly
Have you noticed that butterflies don’t fly in a straight line? They want to spread their wings far and wide taking in every molecule of sky, flower and sunlight that they possibly can.
They know that their lives are short. That marching through life, that taking the straight road only gets you quicker to your final destination. Who wants to get to the end in a dead straight line when the journey is far more interesting, exciting, adventurous, and exuberant when we take the path that is anything but straight.
A Colour-Filled Life
Start from today, ask yourself how can you fill your life with more colour? How can you spread your wings and sprinkle the magic butterfly dust of joy and life to those around you?
Begin by filling your house with flowers. Do what the French do. Grow flowers on your window sill, outside your house, flowers in the window. Fill your life with colour!
Dress Like A Butterfly
Wear colourful clothes. Who said jut because its winter you need to wear drab clothing!
Just watch as complete strangers come up to you and compliment you! You will see the smile on their faces and feel their need to talk with you. I have seen my wife Heidi many times have women approach her to give her a compliment on her colourful dresses.
Funshine and Light
Life is more than trying to get from A to B. It is great to have goals, it is also great to include funshine and light in every day. It is the byways and back roads that make life interesting and exciting.
[Fl]utter Joy
Be the butterfly that flutters through life. Let go of seriousness.
Embrace spontaneity and butterfly energy. Spread open your wings, feel your lightness of being.
Discover flutter joy.
Flutterflying
It is time to start to flutterfly! Do something spontaneous right now! Don’t think about it. Get up a do something that will bring a smile to your face.
Sing.
Dance.
Run around the house naked.
Go for a skinny dip if its at night.
Call a friend and tell them how much you are grateful for them in your life.
Talk to a total stranger in the street and give them a flower.
I promise you you won’t combust by being spontaneous, but flutterflying will make you feel light and bring light to those who feel the gentle magical breeze from your wings.
*All photographs taken on today’s journey walking from Langres to Coublanc.
Heidi
07/16/2017I was very much thinking of your words in your article from the other day on mindfulness and has made me think of how grateful I am reading about your butterflies. Today I so enjoyed the sunshine and blue skies while driving up to Brisbane to see Suzy. Had gratefulness in my heart as I drove up feeling so happy on a Sunday morning, happy to be seeing my friends and family, music up loud definitely singing like no one was listening! ??? xx
David Cuschieri
07/17/2017Thank you Hun for the message. Glad you are flutterflying! It is those moments of gratitude that fill our hearts with joy. Xxxx
Heidi
07/18/2017Very true darling xx
Margaret Hunt
07/16/2017I just love this blog David. I love the analogies, thank you. I have been bringing my health into balance and my inner self asked for more colour. You have addressed the ways I can bring more colour into my life right here, I am going to share this blog. xx
David Cuschieri
07/17/2017Thanks again Margaret, I am so happy to hear that you have been bringing your health into balance. Colour is so important and enlivening. Thank you for sharing the blog with others I really appreciate Margaret.xx
IAN HEMPSHALL
07/17/2017I was thinking of you today as I walked up on the downs which was full of our wonderful beautiful Chalk Hill Blue butterflies.
Keep up with the wonderful inspiring thoughts.
Ian
David Cuschieri
07/17/2017Hi Ian, sounds like a great day on the downs. I remember those little butterflies when you and Mary walked with us.
You are both in our thoughts and hearts and we remember you daily with the liturgy with the end of line with your inflection on the last word of the liturgy…’it wil be solved by WALKING’.
Take care, and big hugs to you both.
David