A Story for Riley
* A Story for Riley
Whenever I see a ladybug,
or a dragonfly,
or a beautiful butterfly with colored wings,
I think of my baby sister, Kaitlyn.
They all remind me of her in different ways.
Kaitlyn isn't here with me at my house,
but I think about her a lot.
I know my Mom and Dad do, too,
because we talk about how we miss her
and what she might be doing in heaven that day.
I think Kaitlyn would have loved to watch butterflies,
and dragonflies, and ladybugs.
I imagine her reaching up to try and touch them
as they fly past, their wings fluttering in the breeze.
But they fly by too quickly for her to catch, and that makes me laugh.
Sometimes I'm still and quiet enough that a ladybug lands on my finger.
I can watch it for a moment, but that's as long as it stays
before it flies away.
That makes me think of Kaitlyn.
I only got to see her for a little while, too.
In the spring, maybe I'll find a caterpillar in my back yard.
Mom and Dad say sometimes special caterpillars eat leaves,
and then they grow and wrap themselves in a cocoon.
Later they become beautiful butterflies and get their wings.
I wonder if Kaitlyn has wings in heaven, too, so she can fly?
I don't know much about dragonflies, but I really like them.
Sometimes you only feel the wind from their buzzing wings,
or hear the sound they make as they zoom past.
But they make me think of Kaitlyn, too.
You can feel they've touched you, even though you can't always see them.
Someday I'll be with Kaitlyn again, and so will my Mom and Dad.
We all know God's taking very good care of her in heaven,
and I think it's pretty neat that things on earth remind me of her.
I hope we see lots of butterflies and ladybugs this year in my back yard.
And maybe, if I look hard, I'll get to see a dragonfly.
* Permission to use this story must be granted by its author.
