Butterflies

 

I love butterflies

Because they once were caterpillars

Crawling on the ground

And so was I

But now I fly

 

I love caterpillars

Because they can become butterflies

Beautiful and free

Like me

* * *

This is the first one of my poems that dealt with bipolar disorder. It was written in 1981, which is when I started seeing a psychotherapist. Actually, I heard about him from a friend of mine who was going to him to see if he could help her stop smoking -- he used hypnosis as a therapeutic tool. That intrigued me. I wondered if he could help me lose weight. I don't remember just how things developed from there, but it wasn't long before the weight loss issue was set aside and our sessions focused on my mental health instead. That was the beginning of a very long journey. 

This is my friend, Sherry Spivey, and her son Quentin. He had chronic bronchitis, which is why she was seeing a hypnotherapist to help her stop smoking.