Harbinger
When my father lay dying in his hospital bed, I had to walk through a swarm of dragonflies to cross the parking lot. Every since, I have considered the dragonfly to be my father’s totem. I have a decorative dragonfly on my front porch, one in my side yard, and one, in the form of a coat hook, in my bedroom closet.
So when I walked through the park yesterday and saw several dragonflies soaring through the air – as unusual as that was, I smiled and said “Hello, Dad.” I saw them in the park again today and yet again just a block from my house as I made my way home. Someone, or something, was trying to get my attention.
Dragonflies, I learned later that day, are a symbol of transformation, of spiritual growth, and of resilience under difficult circumstances. Able to quickly change direction mid-flight, they represent adaptability. Gossamer-winged, they are a reminder to live in the moment. For those who are cut off from themselves and their surroundings, a dragonfly is a reminder that meaning and joy are found in deepening one’s connections. For those who are disenchanted with the world, it is an invitation to “re-enchantment,” to enter into a sense of wonder at the miracles which lie all around us. To practice stillness, so that we might hear the whisper of passing tiny wings.