每一隻蝴蝶都是從前一朵花的魂，回來尋找它自己。-- 張愛玲
(picture from network)
從不相信前世今生，可是蝴蝶們真的會一代一代追尋同樣的軌跡，回來尋找前世的痕跡。
每年秋天，阿拉斯加，落基山脈西部的瑪瑙蝶都會從北向南移居。到了深秋，成千上萬的瑪瑙蝶就積聚在氣候溫暖的加州 Monterey Bay 過冬，尋找到生生世世“古老的情人”- 蝴蝶樹。它們就一個又一個地掛滿鬆枝，心滿意足地，安安靜靜地夢回前世。每年都把同樣的一株，一群鬆樹變成五光十色的蝴蝶樹，直到第二年春暖花開時才翩翩向墨西哥飛去。三月中旬，它們又開始北移， 回到它們先輩飛來的地方。
三千多邁的迢遙路，一年的南飛北移，那些美麗的瑪瑙蝶要用三到五代才可以完成!!! 瑪瑙蝶就這樣生生世世地移居，一代一代地相隨。
那些不可思議的小精靈，每年每年，它們究竟在頑強地追尋什麽呢?
去年的冬天， 第一次見到蝴蝶樹，看到陽光下的蝶舞，便在心中對自己約定: 每年，隻要我在加州，我就會來看望它們，就象它們年年來探望蝴蝶樹。而今冬再訪蝴蝶樹時，一年的時光匆匆，此景已恍如隔世。而我也曾經離開加州三千邁之遙，以為故地重遊隻會在N年以後。不料，萬水千山，我還是回來了。我是用車輪跑完這三千邁的，而瑪瑙蝶，它們是用小小的，纖細的翅膀飛過來。離去時是美麗的蝴蝶，回來時還是美麗的蝴蝶，可是已經不是你凝望過的那一群，不是你默語過的那一隻了。年年歲歲樹相似，歲歲年年蝶不同!
總是，忍不住為蝴蝶樹感動。
至少，世上還有一些東西讓你相信永久， 相信約定，比如蝴蝶樹。
如果，你也待在加州，那麽我問你，今年，你去看過蝴蝶樹了嗎?
02/2004
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ChatGPT translation version:
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Have you visited the butterfly Trees this year?
Every butterfly is a soul of a flower from the past, returning to seek itself. -- Eileen Chang
I never believed in past lives, but Monarch butterflies truly follow the same trajectory generation after generation, returning to seek traces of their past lives.
Every autumn, in Alaska, the Monarch butterflies migrate from north to south. By late autumn, thousands and thousands of Monarch butterflies gather in the warm climate of Monterey Bay, California, to spend their winter time, searching for their ancient lover - the Butterfly Trees. They cluster on the tall tree branches one by one, contentedly dreaming of their past lives. Every year, they turn the exactly same tree, the same group of eucalyptus trees, into the colorful Butterfly Trees until they gracefully fly to Mexico when spring arrives of the following year. By mid-March, they start moving north again, returning to the place their ancestors flew from.
Over three thousand miles of distant travel, a year of migration from south to north, those beautiful Monarch butterflies take three to five generations to complete the remarkable journey!!! They migrate from generation to next generation, following each other.
These incredible little fairies, year after year, what are they tirelessly seeking?
Last winter, when I first saw the Butterfly Trees and witnessed the butterflies dancing under the sunlight, I made a promise to myself: every year, as long as I am in California, I will come to visit them, just as they come to visit the Butterfly Trees every year. Returning to the Butterfly Trees this winter, one year has passed just like in the blink of an eye, and the scene feels like a lifetime ago for me. So many things happend this year, I once left California three thousand miles away, thinking that revisiting the old place would only happen after many years. Unexpectedly, after traversing mountains and rivers, I came back to Bay Area. I traveled myself the three thousand miles by car, while these butterflies flew over with their tiny, delicate wings. When they left, they were beautiful butterflies, and when they returned, they were still beautiful butterflies, but they were no longer the same group you once gazed upon, not the same one you once whispered to. Trees are similar year after year, but butterflies are different year after year!
I always find myself being deeply moved by these beautiful butterfly Trees.
At least, there are still some things in this world that make you believe in eternity, believe in promises, like these Butterfly Trees.
If you are also in California, then I ask you, have you visited the Butterfly Trees this year?
02/2004
(Translated 02/2024)
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PS：
02/2024 -
兩周前，我又去看望了我的老朋友蝴蝶樹，一年又一年，時光如白駒過隙，居然20年就這麽一晃就過去了。。。
噢，在過去的好時光，我也曾經如此地年輕過。20年後，在同樣的一群樹下，我依然能感覺到我的靈魂，和陽光下的蝴蝶們，在一起翩翩地起舞。。。是的，歲月可以蒼老我們的臉龐。我們的身體，它卻不能同樣蒼老我們的靈魂，如果我們願意努力去維持一顆孩子一般的，簡單的心。
Two weeks ago, I went to visit my old friends, the Butterfly Trees. Again and again, year after year, twenty years have passed just like a white steed passing through a crevice.
Oooh, in the good old days, I was once so young. After 20 years, under the same group of trees, I could still feel my soul was dancing gracefully with the butterflies under the sunlight...
Yes, time can age our faces. and our bodies, however, it cannot age our souls in the same way, if we are willing to strive to maintain a childlike, simple heart.
Form my IPhone :)
