I always have a number one pick for our family summer bucket list: Fireflies. My next picks often center around water activities, boating, swimming, the beach. But my #1 is always fireflies. My children pointed out that the summer bucket list should be a list of things that our family will “do” together and add that “fireflies” isn’t really part of that “to do” list (unless we’re catching them which they are fond of doing). But I realized that this is exactly one of the reasons why I add it. Fireflies, for me, is not one more thing “to do.” Fireflies during the summertime is more of an experience and a reminder of an important yearly lesson – that there is light in the darkness, sometimes the light can only be seen surrounded by darkness, and often I must be still and look to see it.
I was sitting recently one evening in my backyard, using the time to read, write and do some catch up work that never seems to happen with 4 kids home for the summer. Sunset led to dusk; dusk to darkness, and I found it impossible to read and work any longer. Which is when I lifted my head and began to see the twinkling – slowly and sparse at first, but increasing with each moment. The fireflies. As I am each time, I was struck – by the beauty, by the gentleness, by the brightness against the darkness. The fireflies became brighter and more active as the darkness grew deeper. I was struck again, not by the vision of the fireflies this time, but by what they were showing me: As they grew more active and brighter with the darkness, perhaps it was reminding me that in the darkness, there is light; that perhaps it takes the darkness to see the light sometimes. Literal darkness can be scary, confusing, stop me in my tracks. Figuratively, I sometimes become overwhelmed and focused on the “darkness” and negativity in the world, our country, my community and family, even in my own thoughts. Yet real darkness can also slow us down, makes us focus, bring a stillness to our mind, hearts, and bodies – literally and figuratively. When we do slow down, be still and focus, and notice, we can see things that were not apparent before. Just like with fireflies, maybe sometimes we need to acknowledge the darkness, to slow down and focus. And just like with the fireflies that night, when we sit in the darkness, be still, and look, we can see the twinkling and light. Perhaps it is only in the darkness that we can see some of that light.
My love for fireflies I think centers around these ideas. Yes, they’re beautiful and gentle to observe, but it’s what they represent to me – light in the darkness, the importance of pausing to see the light. Maybe I even need to acknowledge and accept the darkness and sit in it and with it before I can notice the light.
My lessons from the fireflies: Don’t run from the darkness, be still and in it find the light, find the hope, and see it spread. My hope is that the fireflies remind us all to be still and see the light in the darkness and watch it spread.
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