I took this butterfly image during the wake of my 10-year-old nephew who died due to asthma 4 years ago. I was sitting alone outside when this butterfly came out of nowhere and kept on lingering. After a while it decided to settle down on a bamboo just beside where I was sitting. I went close and it didn’t move even when I snapped a photo of it more than once. It just stayed there.
I felt like holding it as the color is just so alluring, it was my first time to see a white with red and black colored butterfly. It stayed there for a while till it decided to move to the lemon tree and played with another bigger butterfly. Both of the butterflies flew at the same time to another direction till they were gone from my sight.
I showed the image to my sister-in-law and she told me that the little butterfly must be my nephew and the bigger one is his grandfather. I am not really into superstitious beliefs but it was a comfort when I saw calmness in her face after I told her about it, believing my nephew came to tell he will be in a better place. I have to believe that God sends comfort for those who grieve during times of sorrow and sadness.
Some folks here believe that the spirit of loved ones who passed away can inhabit butterflies. Also a black butterfly lingering in one’s house means death. Seeing a yellow butterfly means good luck to some and a brown butterfly means money is coming.