If “Central Park” existed in Bozeman, we’d consider the concept laughable and pointless.

But while in NYC a few months ago, I found the Park to be an essential refuge for my ability to cope here. No, it’s not wilderness. But the fact that it does exist in NYC is remarkable.

My fleeting moment of the trip was sitting on a Park bench in a wildflower garden, when a monarch butterfly came rolling in to sample the fare.

I was kicking myself for not having my DSLR with a zoom lens with me, but I gained enough favor with the insect to approach it with a P&S and capture a few neat shots, like this one.
When I got home and viewed the photo I was thinking about the urgency that drives life in Manhattan (I was standing in front of Lehman Bros. when the press release was read), and the urgency that drives this butterfly’s need for food. And then, looking tired (how do you tell if an insect looks tired) after sucking calories from dozens of flowers, the butterfly flitted to the corner of the bench, and rested.

Why is wilderness so valuable to modern society? It provides refuge from urgency, insulation from demands that aren’t always important, and much needed rest.

Photo: Busy Monarch in Central Park, Sigma DP1, September 2008