Do you have any collections?

I remember 15 years ago when my sister came home and shared that she was pregnant. I was so excited and in my excitement, God whispered that the baby would bring about change in our family. His Holy Spirit continued to tell me that the baby would be called “Butterfly” because a rebirth, or metamorphosis of sorts, would come. It was at that moment that I started calling the unborn baby in my sister’s womb my “Lil Butterfly”, loving the baby that I had not yet met with a love greater than anyone had ever seen. When my Lil Butterfly was born, I showered her with all things butterfly. My “little” love bug just turned 14 on Mother’s Day and for all of these years, not only I have gifted her with a birthday card that has butterflies on it, but I have always given her mother a Mother’s Day card with the same. Because of a word from God, my whole family collects butterflies now… and I love it.

Shortly after the birth of my Butterfly, fulfilled a life-long dream and became a member of the BEST and BaDST sorority of all, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.  Founded on Christian principles on the campus of Howard University in 1913, Delta Sigma Theta was then and is now committed to sisterhood, scholarship, and service. One of our 22 founders, Florence Letcher Toms, loved elephants with their trunks up, believing that they were a sign of good luck. Her love for the animal has grown into our love, even 112 years later. As such, if you were to enter the home of any Delta, you would be greeted by a stampede of elephants, varying in size, color, shape, function, and origin… just like us.

Yet when asked if I have any collections, my answer is YES, but not because of the butterflies that I have tattooed on me or because of the elephants that I have around my home. The collection that I have is intangible as it is a collection of love. For reasons that many will not understand, I collect the love, peace, and joy that has shared with me, and multiply that love so that it may be shared with others at a later time. I believe that some collections are for self- like the elephants in my home, while other collections are to be enjoyed by the masses- like collections of art in a museum. The love that I have for God allows me to serve His children in a way that I know I never could without Him.