New London seniors honor loved ones with butterflies
New London — Cristina Doitteau stood side by side with her sister Ana and made the sign of the cross before unfolding a small paper envelope to reveal a painted lady butterfly.
Doitteau was among about 20 other women from the New London Senior Center who gathered in a circle at Williams Park on Tuesday to release butterflies in honor of loved ones and friends who have died.
Each woman in turn announced loved ones and released their own butterflies, some taking a moment to reflect.
Doitteau, 75, said the butterfly was in remembrance of her mother, father and recently deceased 32-year-old grandson, among others.
It took some coaxing but the butterfly eventually fluttered out of her hand and onto the lawn.
“It’s nice to remember,” said Helen Kiah, 70, who said she was honoring her mother, father and two brothers.
Kiah’s butterfly was hesitant to fly away — climbing onto her head and later onto her pants.
Diana Rosenbaum, before releasing her butterflies, said her thoughts were for all who have passed.
“There are too many names,” Rosenbaum said.
Rosenbaum said the butterfly release was “spiritually uplifting” and she compared it to her daily prayers for the sick and dead at home and at synagogue.
Some of the women appeared to pause in silent reflection when it came their turn to release.
It also was uplifting with plenty of smiles, jokes and even an impromptu birthday song.
Event organizer Karen Paul, a program coordinator at the senior center, said the event was in its fifth year.
While some of the butterflies appeared a bit drowsy upon release Tuesday, she said it was an improvement over last year, when all the butterflies flew off to Dunkin Donuts across the street.
During her turn, Paul honored Mary Coman and Mary Glenn, recently deceased members of the senior center.
She also read a message that came with the butterflies: “A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam, and for a brief moment, its glory and beauty belong to our world. But, then it flies on again, and although we wish it could have stayed, we feel blessed to have seen it.”
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