Sunday, July 23

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It rained heavily last night and continued to rain until dawn, but it stopped before we went outside. I filled my lungs with the beautiful clear morning air and left the house. The dog led the way as if he was protecting Ryu and me. The Man River seemed to flow a little faster because of last night's rain. Plumeria flowers were flushed from the riverbank. I followed the flowers with my eyes as they went far away with the river current. Walking along Naga bridge, I ruminate on the days of my journey. 

 

I found many butterflies in Dansai. Today I really want to tell you a story about butterflies. When a butterfly grows from a caterpillar to a pupa, the caterpillar dissolves most of its body. It then creates new body parts such as wings and legs and transforms into a flying butterfly. I wonder if there are any memories of the time when it was a caterpillar left in the liquid inside of the butterfly’s body. Maybe when the butterfly breaks out of its chrysalis shell and dances into the outside world, it may think it was born as a butterfly and doesn't remember what it was before. But you know what, I know that you were a leaf-eating caterpillar.

I guess I am still a caterpillar. Even if I one day become a butterfly, even if the days I spent here melted away, I would be flying somewhere in the sky. I will probably be able to watch you from the sky before you find me.

I walked alone in front of the lush rice paddies. Butterflies are fluttering in the sunlit fields.