Article August 25, 1980 Issue

The allegory of the butterfly

MIRIAM PRIESTLEY

The top section of the living room window had been left open one sunny morning, and I noticed a butterfly frantically beating its wings against the lower pane in a futile attempt to return to the garden. That sash is fixed, so I tried to coax the little creature to fly up to the opening. But my efforts only seemed to increase its panic. Finally it came to rest, quivering, in a corner of the windowsill.

My concern was quickly replaced by the realization that, according to God's law, all creatures are free. The right thing to do soon became clear. I placed a finger within an inch of the butterfly, which had stopped fluttering. Quite purposefully, it seemed, the butterfly crawled onto my finger. But when I lifted my hand through the opening, its passenger made no attempt to move, until a slight flick sent it airborne.

Had I freed the butterfly?

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