A Butterfly Dream

We were all gathered around a table eating. There was a friend of the family that I have known a very long time, her daughter and daughter's friend. We were eating eggs. I cracked my egg open and in the yolk, there was a green caterpillar inside. I watched it for a while. I asked the woman next to me if she has ever seen anything like this before. She shook her head no and we all watched. The caterpillar started to change as it crawled. It transformed into a monarch butterfly before our eyes. I gave the butterfly to the woman and she delicately handled it. She studied it, and the kids were very amused. The kids started to play with it, and the mother began to worry. They opened a window and tossed it outside where it flew away. The mother began to cry. She was sad that the butterfly was gone.
We had to let it go, I explained. Now it can go be free, and be with other butterflies.
She stopped crying and although she didn't say anything, in the silence there was an understanding that she agreed.