White butterflies bring me into the present moment.

It doesn’t matter what else is going on in my mind, or how overwhelmed or anxious I’m feeling. When I see a white butterfly, none of it matters.

It’s happened for as long as I can remember. Since I was 3 or 4 or 5.

Back then, and really until my late 20s, I didn’t know what being in the present moment even was. I didn’t know what being anxious was either (it just ruled my life subconsciously). All I knew was that I always noticed those butterflies, and everything else stopped mattering while they were there.

I now realise there’s a lot of symbolism in butterflies. They represent unconditional acceptance. A willingness to let go of what came before (caterpillar) in order to become strengthened (in the chrysalis) and allow newer beautiful things (butterfly) to come into our lives. I think it’s one of the most powerful messages in the world. Dos Orugitas, a song from Encanto, describes this beautifully.

I don’t know if I was always sensing all of that when I saw the butterflies. I don’t think it matters. Not everything needs a reason. I just love the effect they have on me.