the butterfly messenger

at the Summit of Mt. Fuji

On the 17th of August, exactly a month after my late mother's 80th birthday,

we started to walk from 5th station of Mt Fuji.

We passed through a gate and shrine, passed through trees

and slowly walked up the mountain trail.

We looked up and saw our destination,

the top of a dormant volcano .

We walked for 3 hours to spend the night at the 6th station mountain hut.

I hear my companion snore, I did not sleep

I opened my eyes, it was 2 am.

I tied my 12 - year old old hiking shoes.

My family got up and walked out of the hut .

It was cold and dark but the moon and stars provided the light.

With one head light and one phone light,

We followed the trail up the mountain.

The sun slowly rose as we walked up the steep mountain.

As we climbed up, we found ourselves above the clouds.

It was a long, seemingly endless walk up the mountain.

The breathtaking view and the cool air

gave me the extra breath to encourage my little girl to walk on.

As we reached the last station before the summit,

the sun glowed and gave us warmth,

but the air got thinner.

The mountain tested everyone's limit.

There were many moments my companion wanted to give up.

It never crossed my mind to stop.

I only paused to feed my child so she can walk on.

I did not push beyond what her body dictates.

I waited to see what motivates her and what stops her.

As we got closer to the summit,

more people were in line.

We all go through the same struggles,

whether young, old, or in their so called prime,

male , female or those in between,

brown, black , yellow or tinted hair,

in shorts with leggings or in pants

in sneakers or in boots.

We all felt it . We all saw it.

That motivated my little one to walk on.

She was not alone in the arduous journey.

It took us 9 hours to move from 6th station to the summit.

As the clock strikes 12, we were ready of our lunch.

We rested near the crater to write a postcard.

As soon as I got my pen on the summit of Mt. Fuji,

with its rocky barren land devoid of flowers and trees,

A butterfly flew from below the mountain

where plants, flowers and and trees thrive.

It landed on my hand.

and it stayed on my hand the entire time I wrote on a postcard.

It would not fly away, even when I moved my hand delighting my little child.

I made it fly when I stood up to mail the postcards.

The journey did not end at the summit.

We have to continue walking down the mountain

to make it in time for the bus ride to the city.

My companions breezed through the walk.

I struggled even more like never before.

I walked on.

I am still walking.

from 5th station to 6th station mountain hut August 17, 20205

Sunrise August 18, 2025

above the clouds

gate to Mt. Fuji Summit

volcano crater