I was so moved by the beauty of the Monarch project. Walking up from the LA River path to discover a Silver Lake stairway covered in thousands of orange butterflies, flanked by brilliant magenta bougainvilleas and the bright blue sky took my breath away. Hearing the music out of sight and above and reading the artist’s statement made me think about the complexity of our interdependence as humans, with all beings, within our environment— and the urgency with which this moment in time demands our attention to and recognition of that interconnectedness.
Knowing that the path of the monarchs’ migration parallels that of so many people from south and central America brought up feelings of awe, respect, fear, and sadness along with thoughts about who is free to move, what events and desires spur that movement, and how can we collectively be supportive of the freedom of all beings to move in response to environmental, personal, and cyclical needs.
The monarch as symbol of transformation and indicator of ecological health is a potent image and reminds me of the need to pay attention, to be willing to envision and work for a more supportive world for all living things, and to stay awake to the beauty that exists in times of upheaval and transformation.
So grateful to have experienced today.
