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The Butterfly Woman. Her good life.( continued)
SAID ALOUD
Aim. To begin the story of the Butterfly Woman, when life was good.
The Trainer draws Figure 2, The Butterfly Woman in the beginning, capable and in good health, and starts the story.
Once upon a time, a Butterfly Woman lived in a small village surrounded by green hills. She loved to sit by the river that ran nearby. She lived in a solid house with her children and her man. They had good and not so good neighbours and slept in peace at night and woke the next morning with a thankful heart. The country was calm and people had enough to eat and drink.
PART II: THE TRAINING
The Woman had a good heart and a strong body. Her feet walked her long distances and she had clever hands. She often sang, and you could see her washing clothes in the river, walking with a swing to her hips, or jiggling her children. Her man was a good person. She felt satisfied and proud. She trusted her life and the people around her, most of the time. When she was sorry for something she would cry a little and tell herself that it would get better. She wanted to become a wise woman, to whom other people could turn for advice in difficult times.
The days went on. In her right wing were all the good memories of her life – like the green hillside, the sound of the river she loved, and the fragrance of her favourite flowers. Thinking of the trees and animals made her feel calm. Looking at the house made her feel safe. Memories of her children, growing up year by year, made her proud. She remembered the smile of her mother and the collared dress that a friend had given her. She had sad memories too, of saying goodbye to her friend when she moved to another part of the country, of her mother’ s sickness and death. All these memories were stored in her wing. They made her feel strong enough to think and feel and live her life.
In her left wing, she kept her dreams about the future and some worries too, though they weren’ t too big to handle. Sometimes she dreamed of a new dress, and some good shoes to keep the rain out. But her strongest dream was for her children’ s education. Every month she tried to save some money for their education. She kept all her dreams, worries, plans and longings in this wing. They made her feel alive and that she had enough control over her life. Every morning she took a deep breath when she woke up, ready to start a new day. Every night, before going to sleep, she rested her face for a moment in the palms of her hands, praying and giving thanks for her good life.