Selenga sat in the garden sketching. Colorful butterflies fluttered all around her—yellows, oranges, whites. Then came another one. Purple. Bright, deep purple. Selenga put down her brush. She had never seen a butterfly like this before.
The butterfly landed on a flower, then quickly flew away. It tried another flower, then another, never staying long.
"Why don't you stay on the flowers?" Selenga asked gently.
The butterfly turned and opened and closed its wings.
"The yellow butterflies won't play with me,“ it said sadly. ”Because I'm purple."
Being Different
Selenga walked slowly closer. The butterfly didn't fly away.
"They won't let you join them?"
“No,” said the butterfly. "They told me, 'You're not like us. Yellow butterflies play here.' That's what they said."
Selenga sat down on the grass. The butterfly landed gently on her arm.
“I know how that feels,” said Selenga.
The butterfly looked surprised.
"You do? But you're... a person."
Selenga smiled.
"People feel different sometimes too. I have curly hair, I wear a pink beret, and sometimes I talk to trees. I've felt left out because of these things."
“What did you do?” asked the butterfly.
“Nothing,” said Selenga. "Because I'm already me. I didn't want to change."
The Secret of Purple
"But don't you want to be yellow?“ asked the butterfly. ”Everyone else is."
“Yellow is beautiful,” said Selenga. “But purple is beautiful too. Being different is beautiful.”
“How?”
“Think about it this way. If every butterfly in this garden were yellow, would I have noticed you?”
The butterfly thought for a moment.
"No, you wouldn't have."
"But I did notice you. Because you're special. And now I'm talking to you, not to the yellow butterflies."
The butterfly slowly opened and closed its wings.
“I never thought about it like that.”
Selenga smiled warmly.
"Being different doesn't mean being alone. Sometimes you just need to find the right person who understands you."
A Garden of Many Colors
"But what if the yellow butterflies still won't play with me?" asked the butterfly.
"Then you'll make other friends,“ said Selenga. ”The world isn't only full of yellow butterflies."
The butterfly looked around curiously.
“There are others?”
Selenga nodded.
“Look around this garden. How many different colors and patterns of butterflies do you see?”
The butterfly flew up and looked around.
“Yellows, oranges, whites, striped ones, and purple ones like me.”
“Who do you think would understand you best?”
The butterfly thought.
"I talked to a striped butterfly once. The others don't really include it either."
“Then go talk to it again,” said Selenga. “Sometimes those who are different understand each other better.”
The butterfly flew over to the striped butterfly. Selenga watched as they sat together on the same flower for a long time, talking and enjoying each other's company. The yellow butterflies came and went, but the purple and striped butterflies stayed together.
When Evening Came
As the sun began to set, the purple butterfly returned to Selenga.
“Thank you,” it said.
“For what?”
"For seeing me. Most creatures don't even notice me."
Selenga smiled.
"I've always been curious about those who are different. Because sometimes the most beautiful stories are hidden there."
The purple butterfly took flight. Its wings shimmered in the golden evening light.
Selenga watched for a long time. Then she opened her sketchbook and drew the butterfly carefully.
Underneath the drawing, she wrote: “The Purple Butterfly.”
Questions Parents Often Ask
Is being different a bad thing?
No. Being different is one of the special qualities that makes you who you are. Sometimes it takes people a while to notice and appreciate this.
What if my friends won't play with me?
Look for friends who accept you just as you are. Every child has the right friends out there—sometimes it just takes time to find them.
A Note for Parents
This story offers a wonderful opportunity to talk with your child about feeling different or struggling to make friends. After reading, you might ask, “Have you ever felt like the purple butterfly?” and create a safe space for them to share their feelings. Remember that every child is unique and special, just like the purple butterfly.