Sky Full of Butterflies – Spiritual Media Blog

Sky full of butterflies

By: Jenn Todling

Six months after leaving my husband Molly, I dug my heels into the cold sand. It was my first solo adventure to travel as a single woman. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see the world, so when my accounting firm came to travel to Australia and the Great Barrier Reef, it was exactly a year after my European adventure with my sister Rose. There was. It was the beginning of all new things. I jumped at the opportunity to bending my new independence.

None of my friends or family could make it this time, so I’m adventurous and booked the most creative hotel that I could enjoy after the business meeting. That’s when I and a few other adventurers were ferried from Brisbane to Bargara Beach, Australia, so I spotted me and a few other adventurers staring at the green waters. The flight attendants went down the aisle and served complimentary light snacks and cocktails. I was surprised to find that even on this little prop plane the amenities were amazing. After a short hop, the plane squealed on the runway which was too short, and I took a deep breath and was ready for a magical adventure.

Driving around the town of Bargara Beach took me barely a few minutes. There was a small grocery store offering some provisions for tourists, but there were not many others. I left the taxi and sucked in a huge chunk of wet, salty air. I entered my hotel room and turned on some fluorescent lights. The atmosphere was dark and barren with linoleum floors, a small TV and a coffee maker.

Sitting on a hard, narrow bed, I opened a travel journal I bought in Sydney and documented the first day of my solo trip. The first word that came to mind was “solitude,” and I couldn’t shake up the feeling of emptiness in my gut. Was it a mistake to embark on this journey alone? The contrast between this hotel and suite that I had just left in Brisbane made me doubt my decision to come here. This has been ruled out so far from previous Christmas and along with my sister and all of its Victorian splendor and the city of Wright. But I remembered that I chose an adventure, and what is an adventure that doesn’t have any discomfort? I took a bite of Bundaberg’s inger beer I had collected from the plane and fell asleep.

The next morning I woke up at 6am and took a local bus tour from 170 towns to Mrs Musgrave Island. A cloudy sky rose above us, threatening our good times and after nearly two hours of care over the rolling hills, we arrived at the boat dock. Fearing that movement would make me sick, I took Dramamin and boarded a small boat with about 20 passengers sitting there. I looked next to the boat and was able to really try and get into the water. As we left the coast, a huge wave crashed around us and I found myself swinging back and forth as if I was a ball in a game of ping pong. I took another Dramamin just in case and grabbed the wheel, hoping it would float. The thrilling waves continued.

“Are you okay?” our guide asked as she approached me as she seemed worried. “It looks like you’re about to get sick,” she handed me a brown paper bag.

It was all I could call out, “I just took Dramamin, so it’s fine,” but just to be sure I put my bag nearby.

“Dramamine only works if you take it before we leave. If you use it while it’s moving, it exacerbates motion sickness,” she told me.

I I knew I should have read the box. I have no choice. It’s an adventureI thought I’d thrown it into countless brown bags.

After almost two hours the water calmed down and the clearest blue I’d ever seen appeared in the distance. The coral edges protrude from under the bottom of the glass of our boat, giving us a peek into the vast ocean world below us. The guide handed me around the snorkeling gear and I boldly plunged into the miraculous body of bold barrier reefs, forgetting the seasickness that had almost wiped me off a few hours ago. I wiped my goggles a few times and looked closely at the beautiful sea creatures around me. I gently stroked the back of the sea cucumbers floating in the water, and saw a school of red, green and yellow fish swimming by my side. My body relaxed in warm water. I was transported as I swam to a small island, landed, and found a quiet corner where I reflected myself.

Later that night, safe on land, I wrapped my arms around my lap and hugged me in the sand, laughing at how I was going to get sick. (I hadn’t read the manual at once!) I was so happy they worked hard to see one of the great wonders of the world. A sense of gratitude and connection has permeated my soul. I was not alone. I closed my eyes and prayed, asking God to heal the wounds of my past and make me new. To help me find love again and be bold in chasing the treasures of my heart. I was teaching myself to take advantage of the sacred thing once again, and I sought a true spiritual connection in the world. When I opened my eyes, the sky turned into a spectacular sight. A shade of pink and purple danced across the horizon.

The sun set beneath the horizon, its warm glow blended into the colorful hues of the sky, and a swarm of butterflies suddenly appeared and began to envelop me. With open arms, I ran along the edge of the beach and flapped my wings alongside me. It was as if they were responding to my prayers, providing my ragredient spirit with a symbol of hope and a new beginning. I felt the flow of freedom within my veins. This is the type of oasis we experienced when pirouetteing across the dance floor. Overwhelmed by gratitude, I lifted my head into the sky, listening to my prayers, thanking God, and giving me the faith that I believe that one day my dreams will come true.

Copyright 2025 Jen Toddling

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Author: Jenn Todling is an author, speaker, executive coach and assistant instructor at the University of Denver as part of the frontline manager leadership program. Previously, Jen was an audit partner at Global Big 4 Accounting Firms with over 20 years of professional services experience and an ICF certified transformative leadership coach, and he made it clear that clients can express their souls in their work and life. I’ll help. An adventure, travel and dance enthusiast, she currently lives near her hometown in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband (and dance partner) and her young daughter. Her debut memoir Dance with both your own feet It will be available in April 2025. Please see more jenntodling.com.

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