Some deliberations went around the chat circle, but nothing popped out tha stood out among the others. Then one fellow said Butterfly, and before I could protest, he went on to explain that Butterfly was the perfect name for me.
I laugh now to think I wasn't even 20 yet at that time.. so long ago.. in any case, I digress.
In his mind, I was much the social butterfly. He went on to explain that since I had a variety of friends in many varied groups and social circles, and had no difficulty maneuvering back and forth among them, despite the obvious disconeect that each group had from another. He declared that it was the perfect name for me, and everyone else in the chat that night agreed.
I decided it was a name I could live with -- the lesser of the evils, so "Butterfly," it was.. we later amended that to Lady Butterfly, simply because online nobody can tell your gender unless you tell them, and I thought that adding the identifier would squash the endless questioning of whether or not I was a he or a she. Oddly enough, some folks still asked -- a tidbit that still disturbs me a little to this day. LOL
I never gave it a lot of thought, but in my respects Horatio's initial assessment holds true to present day. I still have a variety of friends and colleagues in a variety of social groups and organizations - many who wouldn't dream of socializing with one another - and yet here I am in the middle of it all. I still have no trouble talking to people, though I'm not much of a public speaker -- that's improving at least.
When I think of all the growing and changing I've had to do to make it to where I am, and all of the obstacles I've overcome and how we as individuals are constantly changing and reinventing ourselves to adapt to the world around us. Aren't we all a little bit of a butterfly?
Dad always called it the 'gift of the gab' and loved to take credit for having given it to me because he had it too. I have to say I liked that favourite phrase much more than some of his others.. like the one where he'd openly tell people I could sell the balls off a brass monkey. As a teen, I never thought that too flattering a compliment.
I've been an avid community volunteer for as long as I can remember, having been the youngest in my Lions Club, and eldest in my Leos club concurrently, I've lent my time and talents to a variety of groups over the years in one capacity or another. I've never been afraid of a little hard work, and I don't take on a job or task I don't intend to tackle completely. There are so many interesting people out there to talk to and learn from, to get to know - why wouldn't you want to get to know as many as possible?
People say that technology has made us less social, and that we don't talk anymore. To some degree, I would agree with that statement, but it is also true that some of my best friends and confidants live inside my computer and some quite far away and in almost 30 years we've never stopped chatting.
Perspective is a funny thing.. but after all these years, I still love to collect butterflies. A reminder of good times, and great friends.
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