Violet (Purple)

Read these first: Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo

1 year after the funeral

I lean against the pier railing as I watch the sun peek over the horizon, breathing in the cool ocean air. It helps relieve some of the extra grief Andrea's death anniversary four days ago has sent my way.

A flash of purple blurs past me, pulling my focus from the sunrise. I track the small butterfly landing on the wood railing. A sad smile grows on my face as the butterfly triggers a bittersweet memory.

Before I left for college, Andrea and I went to a botanical garden. I don't particularly enjoy them, but this day was for her, not me. A purple butterfly landed on a rose bush nearby.

"Hey Gabe, did you know purple butterflies are supposed to be for people who need a little extra courage?"

Andrea always liked talking about the meaning behind certain things. I don't believe it like she does, but I always humored her. "Really?"

"Yeah," she reached out a finger to the butterfly, "I hope I see a lot of these when I start school."

"Why? You're pretty courageous already." She had a habit of standing up against bullies, despite the odds usually being against her.

"Yeah, but I'm going to be in high school without my big brother. The jerks and witches are going to be bigger and meaner; you won't be there to back me up. So I'll need extra courage." She held up her finger, bringing the purple butterfly to eye level before it flew away.

I ruffled her hair as we watched it land on some flowers nearby. "You and I both. You and I both."

I still don't believe it, but I can't help think about what Andrea said.

Because today was definitely a day I was going to need some extra courage.

Word Count: 302 words

***

Dear reader,

I have always liked butterflies, which is why it was a shock that I didn't originally come up with the idea of using a butterfly as my color link in the first place. The original idea was a sunset, but I felt it would be too similar to the sunset/indigo link. (I worked hard to make sure each color had their own item.)

As I wrote this piece, a quote came to mind.

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. --Nelson Mandela

I have often felt that part of grieving is the courage to push forward, even if have some fears about what lies ahead.

Another thing about grief is it comes in waves and that wave can be overwhelming during the death anniversary, especially during the first few years. Know that though the grief will not completely disappear, it will be less and less as time passes.