Lessons from Monarch Butterfly Migration

Every year, monarch butterflies migrate from as far north as Canada to as far south as Mexico to escape the cold winters. And in the spring, they head back north. (Source)

However, what makes this migration unique isn’t just the migration itself but how many generations of monarch butterflies it takes to get there. Because the lifespan of the monarch butterfly is only a few weeks, it actually takes multiple generations to finally make it back to the north. (Source)

The monarch butterfly migration looks different than the migration of other insects and is a mystery to many. Some of these journeys end up being as long as 3,000 miles. (Source). And yet, every year, monarch butterflies return south to the same place where their great-great-grandparents were the year before.

The monarch butterfly migration is fascinating for many reasons, and one thing that captivates my attention the most is how many generations it takes for this migration to happen.

I think about the journeys I’ve taken in my own life and how I look forward to arriving at the destination. The idea of traveling all of these miles, through multiple landscapes, terrains, and weather conditions should result in finally arriving at a destination…right?

Monarch butterflies see it differently.

The monarch butterfly migration is a reminder of what it means to pave the way. To carry on on a journey that you might not actually live to see the end of.

I think of the monarch butterflies in the middle of the migration. The ones who maybe never lived to see either Mexico or Canada, and yet, they are still a part of this path that many other butterflies have taken. They are still a part of the journey, even if only for a few weeks.

II

Oh how beautifully

your presence matters here

(even without knowing

what your impact will be

through the years).

You are a part

of the long

cyclical journey

flying south

flying north,

you have always

been a part

of how

we move forth.

II

What greater journey are we willing to be a part of, even if it’s only for a limited time? Even if it's someone else who lives to see the finish line?

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