Butterflies, Birthdays & Breast Cancer: Resurrection

My heart is full. 

There are times when I walk into a school and I am literally brought to my knees. Seeing these symmetric butterfly paintings inside the front door of the building where our WonderTwins attend kindergarten, was just one of those such occasions. Seeing all of this color in the dead of a gray winter day last month took my breath away. Behold. 

The power. The simplicity. The exuberance. The bold strokes. The design. The sweeping colors. The thickness of the paint. The emotions. The pages filled from edge to edge and beyond. The symmetric mirror. The attention to detail. The POLKA DOTS! Of course you know that these projects 'spoke' to me because of that final detail. THE DOTS!!!

If you're brand new here, you may not be aware that I have a 'thing' about black and white and polka dots. Seeing these superb projects, with all of their dots was something bordering on the holy for me. Not to be sacrilegious, but holy without capitalization for certain. I kid you not. I walked in the school's front door and immediately had tears in my eyes. Here's what the entire floor to ceiling bulletin board looked like. Stellar.

Today is a milemarker in my world -- in my life. Today is my daddy's 85th birthday. Those of you that know me, may remember that I chose Jan. 15th as the date for my bilateral mastectomy surgery, for the 'solution' to my second diagnosis of early stage breast cancer. So that means today is the fourth anniversary of my being cancer free -- for the second time. Cancer-the-sequel. 

Cancerversaries are sobering to say the least. Are ya happy? Are ya sad? Are ya somber? Are ya mad? Probably a taste of each. I will choose the glass half full metaphor. I will raise my metaphorical cake to dad and to life..... to longevity and to opportunity, with a grateful spirit. A grateful spirit capable of weeping over butterflies.

The truth is that I have "lost" many of those that started out on this cancer journey with me. Gone are some of my strongest heroes, my staunchest allies and my shining, dearest friend. That's where the somberness plays a part in the day. 'There but for the grace of God go I" rings in my heart today. I am blessed beyond measure to be here. To type. To play. To listen. To see. To paint. To quilt. I am the fortunate one. I get that. 

So four years later, its a GREAT, GOOD thing to share my 'surviving' with my dad's party. The man who gives me roots. The man who holds me up in prayer. The one who is always steadfast in his faith, trust and belief. It's a good day to share. To think that he shares the ACTUAL date-of-birth with Dr. Martin makes it all the more humbling. Here we are together, in his office. A bygone era. The era of black and white. That skinny tie and my charm bracelet could be styling today! His chin is hair free! If we knew then what we know now? 

My aches and pain will apparently be with me all the days of my life. So be it. That's a small price to pay in exchange for living: For spending time with my WonderPeeps and the occasional peanut M&M reward for work well done. For a glorious sunset. For a spirited encounter with a new challenge. For new opportunities on the horizon. For invitations beyond my wildest dreams. For the appreciation of the spirit of creativity in our unfettered youngest and in our oldest, too. A very small price to pay. The butterfly speaks to me of resurrection. Of new life. Of birthdays and beyond. It's a WONDERFUL Wednesday to be of this world.

How I wish I could wax poetically about the inherent beauty of EACH and every butterfly. I am hampered by my humanity. How to articulate? How each is incredibly delicate and yet filled with wonder and marvelous of its own accord. Suffice it to say that these students are fortunate to have an A.MAZ.ING art teacher. One who gets it, who cares, who displays incredible work with professionalism and tenacity. It is no small thing to put up a display of this magnitude and have typed labels for each student's work. Trust me. I know. 

To life. To art. To living. To coming out of your cocoon into the bright shining rays of the day. To explore with wet wings, flying higher. A gift. Cake. Butterflies. Cancer. Children's art. More butterflies. Polka dots! Here's to another year for all of us.