Wabash's Continued Success Hingis on Sel-Examination Rushing to Remember the Butterfly Joshua Patty Managing Editor I don't know when the last time I saw a butterfly was. I can't remember ever seeing one while I've been on the Wabash campus, and I can't remember seeing a single one in my family's backyard in Indianapolis in recent years. And it bothers me. In fact, since I realized it, it keeps gnawing at me. A butterfly is usually a thing of beauty, and most of us associate butterflies with late spring and summer, with glistening wings fluttering as they fly close to the green grass.
Butterflies symbolize the beauty of nature in countless paintings and photographs.
Yet we rarely think of butterflies when we don't see them. We shift our attention to other things and without being reminded of them, we don't think about butterflies. Then suddenly, we remember a butterfly and mentally picture it landing on a low branch or a tall flower. Without explanation and seemingly for no reason, we suddenly realize that there are still butterflies, even though we haven't seen them. And we wonder why we've forgotten them so long.