Based on an original story by Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews which appeared in the November, 1922 Ladies Home Journal, the following story was written from memory several years ago by Mrs. Dorothy VanHouten of Berwick, Pennsylvania, as she stood in front of the Unknown Soldier’s Tomb.
At the turn of the century, in a small town in Virginia, not far from Arlington, there lived a dear little flaxen-haired boy. He had beautiful curly hair and when he played in the sunlight it made his hair look like gold. His mother noticed yellow butterflies hovering over him as he played and remarked that they were about the color of his hair.
The child grew older and was now ready to leave for school for the first time. His mother walked down the garden path to the gate to see him off. She loved this little boy very dearly and was quite sad for she knew she would miss him very much. Just as he went through the gate and was turning to wave to his mother, the yellow butterflies flew all around him and one came to rest on his head. He liked to see them near and never tried to catch them or harm them. As he grew to be an older boy, for some reason the yellow butterflies flew around him many times. The years passed very quickly, now the young man was graduated. About this time there was a dread and fear of war. His mother’s heart was heavy, for her own, Jimmy, we call him, was already talking about enlisting if the United States declared war. War was declared. He enlisted. The day he left for training camp, his mother and boyhood sweetheart went to the train to see him off. He tried to be cheerful and make them feel the same, but his mother’s heart was nearly broken and his sweetheart was very sad.
They heard the train whistle and knew in a moment he would be gone, but just before the train arrived, again the yellow butterflies were there flying all around him. He said, “You see the butterflies are still with me and they will be here to welcome me back.”
He went to war. As soon as he could he wrote letters home, telling his mother and sweetheart to cheer up, the war would not last long and he would soon be back. They received quite a number of letters, but suddenly they stopped coming. His mother thought he may be in action and couldn’t write and hoped to hear from him later, but there were not letters for mother or sweetheart. They scanned the casualty lists. He was never reported wounded or killed in action, nor did they hear anything from the government concerning him. The war was over. There was no news of any kind.
Time passed on. The broken-hearted mother read in the newspapers of the dedication to take place at Arlington. She went. There she saw the tomb and wondered whose son was lying there. In her heart she felt that it might be her Jimmy. She tried to listen to the speaker, hearing very little that was said, Her anguish and pain was was almost unbearable.
At last she heard something like this: “We have come to honor this soldier. He was selected from a number of “Unknown soldiers.” No one knows whose son Is lying here.” Just then Jimmy’s mother gasped. It was all she could do to keep from crying out. Hovering all about the tomb were swarms of beautiful yellow butterflies. She knew whose son was lying there. She thought, “These people have gathered here to honor my son. It is his tomb they dedicate.” Then she breathed a silent prayer, “Oh God! Thank Thee for those beautiful butterflies. They have come to welcome Jimmy back home.”
Of course, the story is fictional, but this Memorial Day, let’s think about our loved ones who have gone on to Jesus before us and even think about when it’s our turn to meet our Lord. Will our loved ones be there waiting on us? Will angels welcome us home? Will Jesus be there with arms outstretched?
For now, let’s remember the words of the writer of Hebrews while we are still living and struggling in this life.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. - Hebrews 12:1-3
Run with Perseverance with your eyes on Jesus, and you will be welcomed, maybe not with butterflies, but He is waiting for you.
I love you all so very much,
Kenny
