A butterfly for me...

Is it human nature to want to have a symbol, token, charm, color, crest, or some other totem to call our own? Every college has colors, and along with political parties, a mascot. Professions and organizations, like fraternal orders and scouts, have their insignia and uniforms. Even diseases have acquired symbols and colors that those who have suffered, and their families, have used as a form of solidarity. For example, the blue cornflower represents ALS and the zebra represents pulmonary hypertension. And there are ribbons campaigns and silicone wristbands in all colors of the rainbow.

I've seen the butterfly used often as a symbol for new life through lung transplantation. There are stories and legends that indigenous people and ancient civilizations from around the world thought the butterfly symbolized transformation, change, and good luck. So, using the butterfly to symbolize new lungs seems fitting indeed.

There are purple butterflies for sarcoidosis, red butterflies for lung cancer, orange butterflies for COPD, and red and blue butterflies for pulmonary fibrosis. But I couldn't find a butterfly for rare lung diseases like pulmonary veno-occlusive disease or pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis. So, I decided to adopt one. I chose the Common Buckeye butterfly, a beautiful brown butterfly with decorative markings of burnt sienna and cream, and distinctive eye-spots ranging in colors from blue to violet.

Now I have a butterfly--a totem and mascot--for me. She will symbolize my new lungs, my hope.