Last night, I saw fireflies flitting around the treetops out back, just after dark. Or rather, I saw their little blinky lights flitting around. I’m not sure why, but the sight of fireflies so close to my home makes me a happy, happy girl.
I remember when I was quite young, using an old, cleaned mayonnaise jar with holes punched in the lid as a firefly cage. I would run around after dark, desperately trying to catch the little bugs and put them in their new “house”, which I had stocked with leaves and grass because I assumed that was their food. Even in the dark, I was able to catch a few, even when they weren’t shining. How? I trusted that I could. And I was always so careful to make sure I didn’t crush them while I carried them to the jar.
However, by the next night, I was always disappointed to find that most (if not all) of the little guys had died at some point. I would cry, not understanding. “But they had air. And FOOD! Why did they die?!” And then I would go out looking for more to put into my jar, and hope I could keep them longer next time.
These days, I just stand or sit on the back deck and watch in amazed joy as these tiny creatures fly about shining their little lights in the night, as if to say, “If I can shine this little tiny light and make you smile, what do you suppose YOU could do if you shined the light YOU have on those around you?”
So, go on out in your world, in whatever mode you choose, and shine your light. Don’t worry about those who don’t smile back right away. They are the ones who have forgotten about the magic and wonder all around them. Watch for the smiles of those around you, then shine your light a little brighter for others to see.
And for those of you who prefer the dark, just remember that the firefly doesn’t light up the sky. But that tiny little spark can bring so much joy to so many.
And this is one of my all-time favorites (both the music and the visuals): Fireflies by Owl City (Sorry, I couldn’t get the video to embed.)
