“Whew! Man, was that ever something.” He strived to recall the details, but they eluded him. However, he was brimming over with a sensation of having just been freed, but from what he didn’t know. He felt lighter. There seemed to be a wire running from his forehead directly to the tips of his fingers and toes. He didn’t know what had happened, but whatever it was, it felt fantastic. When he glanced outside the car, at the ground, trees, and sky, the colors were vibrant and rich. Some inner source directed him to sit still, and simply observe things and wait.

The scent of freshly mowed grass wafted into the car. He could smell summer. He could hear summer. The array of dissimilar sounds that burst forth from the city street coalesced into a rhythmic symphony that was perfectly in pitch. Mitch had practiced meditation and prayer throughout his life, and at those times he felt a connection to his soul, but this was distinctly different. He successfully ignored his natural desire to understand what was happening and basked in the experience of utter calm until it started to dissipate.

He was about to turn on the ignition when a butterfly fluttered past the windshield, disappeared out of view, reappeared, and perched on the steering wheel. He leaned in closer to study this gorgeous creature, who simply stood her ground and observed the incredulous human before her.

Her wings were a brilliant orange, tipped in strokes of black, against a powdery white background that was daubed with blue speckles. Mitch was astounded.

“Boy, you sure are beautiful! I never realized …”

Then his inner voice gently interrupted: “Now would be a good time for silence.”

When she finished showcasing her remarkable good looks, the butterfly zipped back out the window and into the ether.

Mitch shook his head, looked straight up, and shouted, “All right, God. I get it! Caterpillar to butterfly! You really don’t have to make things that obvious!” He’d heard that God had a sense of humor and now he had proof of that.

As he drove to the hotel he mused about the many stories of transformation that were in the Bible. Doubting Thomas; Saul, who was knocked from his horse and became Paul; Jacob, who wrestled with the angel all night and was transformed into Israel by the morning. He chortled and thought, You know, Mitch, perhaps you should learn how to receive a gift graciously instead of always being so suspicious! Just say, “Thank you, Lord!”