Butterfly Encounter

When I was a teacher, I had sick days and personal days. Sick days could roll over to the next year but personal days couldn't. I made sure I used the personal days before the year was up.

One year, I made it my goal to hike at least a mile each weekend. Living by the Smoky Mountains made that easy. There were many, many trails that had a variety of difficulties and length. I could pick and choose which I wanted to do depending on the amount of time I had that week.

You need to know that this challenge was unique because all of these were solo hikes. As a newly single mom who didn't really have any friends at that time (I lost most of my "couple friends" in the divorce), there just wasn't anyone to hike with. I decided I wouldn't let that stop me and did it anyway.

Before you start commenting on how dangerous that is, I did take a lot of precautions. I made sure I told at least 2 people where I was going, how long it should take, and when I would be back. I checked in with them when I got back and they knew if I didn't, to look for me.

Well, one day I really needed a day off from the stress of being a preschool special ed teacher - and it was close to the end of the school year. It was a "use it or lose it" situation - and I wasn't about to lose it.

I checked the weather, found the best day to be outdoors, and requested my day off. While I was working overtime to make sure everything was ready for my substitute teacher, I dreamed how nice my day would be.

Finally, the day came. I dropped my daughter off at school and headed into the mountains toward one of my favorites - the Little River Trail. I chose the Cucumber Gap Loop portion, which I hadn't done before. It was a really easy trail with running water alongside the path a good bit of the time. 

The entire drive all I could think of was that I would have some time to be by myself... taking photos, praying, and breathing the mountain air. I was hyped.

When I got to the trailhead of the Cucumber Gap Loop, there was a scary sign on the post. It read, "Warning. Campsite #27 is CLOSED due to bear activity." 

Bear activity? When I was hiking by myself? Was it stupid to go on? Should I take the chance? As I was on a tight timeline because I needed to pick up my daughter from school, I knew I wouldn't have time to go anywhere else.

It was really difficult to make the decision. However, I had come that far already. I had taken the day off just to do this. It was beautiful weather and I was packed and ready to hike.

I decided to go for it and just be very careful. After all, I wasn't going close to the campsite and there was the potential to run into a bear on any hike. Though a little bit nervous, I headed out. It was one of the best days weather-wise for a hike and I quickly became confident about my decision. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Trying not to stop to take photos too often (after all, I already had some from that trail since I had hiked it before), I kept a good pace. Again, because of having a deadline, I knew I couldn't dilly-dally around.

I heard rushing water ahead and was excited that there might be a waterfall ahead. When I got there, it wasn't really a waterfall, but it was a stream a few feet wide that rushed down the mountain and under a bridge that had been built into the trail. Beside it was a bench made with hewn logs.

But what made the day was what I saw when I went over the bridge where the bench was located. There were about 30 or 40 butterflies on the dirt in front and around the bench. I took some photos from far away, thinking they would scatter when I got to them. 

Then I creeped closer and closer - and those butterflies didn't move! I don't know if it was something in the soil they really liked or if it was something else, but they walked around some but didn't fly away. (This was before The Mighty Google so I couldn't easily research about why they did this.)

I didn't mention earlier how much I love butterflies and their significance: changing from something ugly into something beautiful, while knowing that beauty was inside all along. 

I made my way to the bench and sat down, with my camera in hand. I just knew that at any moment this wonderful time would end when they would, en masse, fly away. 

But they didn't. 

Even with me right there.

I decided to see if I could hold one and stretched my finger out in front of one of these lovelies. I could hardly believe it when it crawled on my finger!

Then the real fun began. I HAD to take a photo of that butterfly on my finger, but this was a long time before cell phones. I had a film SLR camera and it wasn't tiny. I had to try to keep it steady enough to focus in exactly the right place with one hand while I kept the other hand still.

The photo you see is the result. Is it perfectly in focus? No! Were the colors as bright on the underside of its wings as on top, resulting in a dull image? No! Did I really, really wish I had nail polish on that day? YES! 

I remember having to still watch the time but I feel like I could have stayed there forever. I'm so thankful I took that particular trail that particular day...

...and I never did see a bear.

                                                      (All images by Tracy Riggs Frontz)

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