Dragonfly

"Time is for dragonflies and angels. The former live too little and the latter live too long."

 James Thurber

The other day as I was walking to the store, a dragonfly came out of nowhere and hovered in front me.  It seemingly came out of nowhere and stopped right in front of me. It actually appeared to be looking right at me before it flew away.  Now, I am aware that dragon flies begin their lives in water and then moves into the air, but don't they tend to live near the water as well?  I have no ponds, lakes, nor rivers near me.  Granted, I live near the ocean, but for a little guy like that that is quite a distance away. I shrugged it off and continued on my way, and perhaps it all would have been forgotten if...

...on  the very next day I was reading a friend's blog, and discovered that Ellis  had posted a picture of a dragonfly. Then, a only a few hours later, I come across a post at Plumrose Lane 'D is for Dragonflies'. There are many adorable pieces available at Etsy.  Oh, if only I wasn't on a limited budget now.  (Sigh) Now, as a firm believer that nature is always finding ways to speak to us, I find that dragonfly's repeat appearances is all too coincidental in my book. There had to be some reason, so I began doing some research. 

In most cultures the dragonfly has been an object of superstition and everyone has their lore.  The Japanese held it in such esteem that it has become the country's national emblem.  In fact, in ancient Japanese myth, Japan was known as ‘land of the dragonflies’. Rice farmeers believed that Dragonfly was  the rice plant's spirit. In China, it is revered and respected as a good luck charm. The Chinese associate Dragonfly with prosperity and harmony. Some  Native Americans also held dragonfly in high regard and some tribes believed it was the souls of their dead; others held the belief that dragonfly was once a real dragon who was tricked into shape-shifting into its current form.

But not all looked favorably on dragonfly. On the contrary, many European countries viewed them as sinister insects that were sent by Satan and linked them with injury or evil.  In some places, the people believed that the dragonfly could sew one's mouth or eyes shut while they were sleeping.  Others held that it puncture your eardrum if they got into your ears. As a child, I was so afraid of them. That long stinger always frightened me, and I remember running away from them even more than I ran from bees. When they were flying about, trips to the lake became unbearable. Talk about screams. Everyone would come running. Perhaps my fear irrational of dragonflies stemmed some past life superstition. 

Whoever thinks of dragonfly as a totem?  Not I so I decided to delve into this deeper. During my research, I discovered that dragonfly represents the deeper meaning of life and symbolizes free spirit, illusion, swiftness, change, renewal, and transformation.    When dragonfly crosses your path, it is time to look at the changes needed in your life--how you view things, how you carry yourself, your spirituality, etc.  Some say it a sign of an arrival or receiving good news of some kind. I am sure am hoping to get good news when I call on Thursday.

Dragonfly is also a creature of the water....the dreaming mind, thoughts, the subconscious; hence, they are a reminder that we need to pay attention to our dreams. I've been having some pretty powerful dreams of late, several that I didn't need to write down to remember. I know these dreams have some kind of meaning, but what I don't know and haven't really taken time to delve into them. Dragonfly is telling me that I should ignore them, that they are trying to tell me something.

Dragonfly has a short lifespan and lives it life to the fullest in the short time it is allotted. Once it is able to fly, it never stops. In this sense, dragonfly inspires each of us to make use of every moment we have on this earth, to live our lives to the fullest and not to waste even one moment of it. Life is so much more fulfilling if we just take the time to enjoy the smallest things--the beauty of a rose, a sunset or sunrise, the feeling of the rain, a breeze brushing across your face. Life is made to be lived. Dragonfly reminds us of that.

On that note, tonight is the Blue Moon. If you can, try to get out and enjoy her. Celebrate her. Eat some blueberries or some 'blue cheese', listen to the 'Blues' or if that is not your style, how about some 'Bluegrass'? Slip into something blue and light a blue candle. Above all, don't allow yourself to feel blue. Have a great day. 

Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you.
You must travel it by yourself.
It is not far. It is within reach.
Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know.
Perhaps it is everywhere - on water and land.” 

― Walt Whitman