Serendipity in Wings

During a science lesson, my son was reading about the swallowtail butterfly and learned that it feeds upon Queen Anne's lace and parsley.  After he finished his reading, he asked if there was parsley in my potted herb garden.  As soon as he heard the word "yes," he bolted out the back door and headed straight for the herb pot.  To our wonderment and surprise, munching on a small leaf of parsley was a caterpillar.  Of course, we had to follow the proper steps in our "scientific investigation" and looked for the caterpillar in our Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies.  Sure enough, it was the caterpillar of an Eastern Black Swallowtail.  We put it in a glass jar, added a few sprigs of its favorite entrée, and over the next few days watched as it formed its chrysalis.  Once it emerged as a butterfly, we set it free to join all of its "friends."

Chihuly in Vegas

Chihuly

Chihuly's Fiori Di Como, a 70 X 30 feet art installation in the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel has around 2000 hand-blown glass flowers.  When I first walked into the lobby of the hotel and looked up at the ceiling, I was mesmerized by all the color and the overwhelming feeling of being captured in the midst of a masterpiece.  The detail and delicacy of each bloom contributes to the beauty of this stunning work of art, and as I stood underneath it, I was utterly captivated.  It's no wonder Chihuly is known as one of the best glass sculptors of our time.

Behind the Title

     I find it rather intriguing that there are times in our lives when we are given the opportunity to experience moments of complete surprise and inspiration. Thus, comes the serendipity and muse.  I believe that in every one of us, there are seeds of creativity and talents waiting to be explored and developed, taking shape and form in many ways.  One of the beauties of life is that we are given the ability to discover things about ourselves, our world, and each other.  Some of us are fully aware of what our gifts are and have no problem expressing ourselves.  However, sometimes we are left to discover that those dormant seeds can only be awakened through a whisper that touches our soul, igniting our senses and allowing us to see the world, and perhaps ourselves, in a different light.  Life is a chance to discover, a chance to grow, a chance to be and make a difference.  It is because of this that I endeavor to share things I find inspiring, discoveries that I actively seek or happen to stumble upon, and moments that leave me with an ah-ha kind of feeling.  Every now and then I may diverge onto another path.