Yesterday I asked Amaal, “What happens if we don’t see a white butterfly? Does it mean Nanima isn’t with us?”
Ever since my mom passed away, white butterflies have been our symbol of her presence – a soft reminder that love transcends time and space.
Amaal, with the wisdom of a 4-year-old, replied:
“Nima, it only means Nanima is sleeping, because she is always there.”
Shortly after, at the beach, she squealed with joy: “I see a white butterfly!” And there it was, soaring high above us – as if on cue, reminding us that love never leaves.
Later that day, Sabrina told Amaal that she and Afzal would be away for a few days, and that Opa and I would look after her. Amaal, unfazed, said: “Do you know about invisible string connection Opa and Nima?”
We shook our heads.
She explained:
“When mummy and daddy are traveling, we’re still connected by an invisible string. You can’t see it, but it’s always there. And the longer the travel, the longer the string.”
I was overcome with emotion. At only 4 years old, she already understands something many of us spend a lifetime searching for: that love is not bound by distance, or absence, or even death. Love simply is.
In Portugal, love has shown up in countless ways. In Amaal’s tiny hand gripping mine tightly as we climb the 56 steps to her apartment. In the laughter around long dinners with Sabrina and Afzal. In the quiet moments when a butterfly floats by, and I know my mom is near.
At the end of the day, when all is said and done, life is about love. Not the grand gestures, not the perfect plans, not the outcomes we so often chase – but the invisible strings, the small hands in ours, the butterflies, the words of a child reminding us of what really matters.
It brings me back to my favorite line from Moulin Rouge:
“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”
Love. Always Love.
