18th September 2021 Dr Shobha George
Hello there to everyone who comes by. I am Daisy, a flower that grows wild and thrives almost anywhere. We daisies are fun-loving, easy-going and value our freedom a lot. We thrive everywhere, especially in God’s own country Kerala😊. So, wherever we are, we create our own dynamic by growing and flourishing as in the wilderness where the wind, the rain and the sun nurture us. Bright sunshine or shade we love and welcome every life around us.
Butterflies and me (Daisy), have always had an attraction for one another. Today I will tell you about Rose, the butterfly that used to visit us quite frequently. Rose had a red body with spectacular colors of red and black with white dots all over on its wings. So, whenever Rose visited our place, she always stood out. I suppose the name Rose for a butterfly is not a coincidence!
I developed a fondness for Rose and would look forward to her coming by. It was interesting to watching Rose flutter from flower to flower as though she was on a mission to spread good cheer to everyone. It always felt funny when Rose alighted on my head tickling my yellow hair. Rose used to play with me this way and joke about being special and having an aristocratic background. She used to tell stories about how she cleverly darted away from the birds by her fancy slow moves and tactful spitting out nasty smells when the birds got too close. However, the most fascinating thing Rose shared with me was the bright coloration and patterns that she bore on her wings. When she fluttered her wings, apparently that was an overt signal to the birds to stay away. Low and behold! seeing the special patterns, and colors the birds could sense that she was inedible due to the poisons she had acquired in her body from her baby food. Woo!!! I was surprised. How foolish I was to think that beauty is only to behold.
After a few sunsets and sunrise had passed, I noticed that instead of stopping by for a small chat, Rose flew past me. She headed straight to a creeping vine called Garuda Valli (Aristolochia Indica) that formed a labyrinth around. I was concerned and curious. Rose went from leaf to leaf, as though looking for something special and finally settled on a healthy leaf and began to lay eggs. This way Rose inspected many leaves to lay her eggs. After laying over 100 eggs finally, she seemed exhausted and rested on one leaf and did not move again. The next day, my heart broke when I saw my beautiful Rose fall to the ground after being tossed and turned in the wind. My head too drooped very soon, and it was time for me too to return to the ground and be born again😊.
This artwork was created with eggshells and glued onto hard paper. Then I painted the butterfly and the flowers. The inspiration for the above story.
18 thoughts on “Rose and Me”
What a splendid portrayal of the secret , unknown to man relationships that must be thriving amongst all God’s creations.
Relationships are what we humans are challenged with. Yes susy, in nature it exists effortlessly among gods creations.
Thank you for writing this story on Rose and Daisy. It is so delightful to read how with nature we can have their stories too at this site. The message of hope even in rebirth is beautifully captured. In everything that perishes, there is still hope as there is a purpose for perishing. It makes so much sense. We feel despair when we lose something. In that loss, we too learn to grieve and acceptance gives a certain inner peace.
Thank you Shobha. Hope you will write stories.
I derived a lot of pleasure in researching and writing this story beena. Butterflies represent the soul, the immorality of the human soul.
Dear Shobha,
Loved the art work..and the absolutely heart warming story..about life and death too interwoven so beautifully..the relationship between the flowers, the butterfly and the birds all brought out so subtly..the interdependence.. the self protective measures..and finally the gentle ebbing away of life after ensuring the continuing of the next generation…Natures story told do beautifully.. look forward to more from you Shobha..
When I started writing the story I was not aware how it would end. I just wanted to be the daisy, exist wild and free. I have observed this butterfly in my parents’ house. This is what translated into this story. The last part made my eyes tear up. But my departure actually brought a sense of consolation that in giving up life I actually attain oneness just the way the river blends into the ocean.
Meena
Loved your incredibly heart warming story Shobha.It holds a great meaning. Thank you for sharing!!
Meena the story represents all of us and the beauty of our existence in this world. Happy that you could connect with it.
I loved the painting and the beautiful story. The eggshells give such a gorgeous texture to the painting. And how well your story depicted the cycle of life – death and rebirth again and again. Looking forward to seeing more from you Shoba:)
If shobha can do it ……you can do it too Kala… everytime I break an eggshell I feel the delicacy and fragiility of life and yet the potential in it….
Loved the story. Especially the way life is depicted- feels so simple and happy. Like that’s all there is to it.
Your story is so wonderfully different and I am amazed at the painting. Such a beautiful piece. Just cannot imagine the patience needed to glue pieces and pieces of broken eggshells in an unseen jigsaw for every part of the hard board to be covered and the wonderful mix of colours in various tones of blue to give the eggshells a velvety look. Truly eye-catching. Hope you will paint and write more.
Vasant if I can do it you can too…. it is pretty easy. Just clean the shells, break into big pieces. Take a hard card board. Cut to tha shape you want. Apply a slow drying glue all over. Take the big pieces of egg shell and gently press and break the shells on to the board and fill up the board like wise. After the glue had dried.paint on the shells. Vola!!
Thanks for your encouraging words vasanthi … really appreciate it.
As I grow in age I am beginning to recognize how simple life is. When I put too much thought and analysis into everyday happenings I complicates my life. So I suppose in writing the story I just allowed it to take its own turn. As you remarked
,’Thats all there is to it ‘.
It is as simple as that
Beautiful tale about the circle of life and being patient and finding joy in all aspects of life including the final stage of death. Wonderfully exemplified in the artists process of patiently giving life to eggshells in the art work.
Feel glad you can relate with the story dear. For some reason passing off from this world is seen as a tragic thing…. however, i feel that the people I have been close with can never depart because I carry them in my heart as long as I live…
Isn’t it as simple as that…
True ❤️