Summer Glow-up

For the past few summers, I’ve noticed fewer and fewer fireflies. Until this summer. Here in Pennsylvania, I’ve noticed a firefly resurgence in my own backyard. It turns out they’ve loved the weather, the combination of heavy rain and the second warmest spring on record. You can see a short video by clicking here to see where they’ve made their come-back this summer.

Seeing fireflies sparking the night sky makes me happy. These small beetles remind me of the carefree, spacious moments of childhood. Like so many others, I loved to catch them in my hands and watch them light up before setting them free again. Marilyn Kallet’s beautiful poem, “Fireflies,” captures the experience so well. Here’s an excerpt:

The fireflies’ ability to hold and produce light from inside their bodies is truly mesmerizing. I think I’m a little jealous! If you need a refresher on how bioluminscence works in fireflies, you can read about it here.

They’re great wisdom teachers. Amid so much going on the world that’s endangering the planet and crushing many lives, they offer a reminder that there are still sources of light in the world and unexpected sources of resilience. Don’t we, too, have the capability to emit light from within? What light are you producing this summer? Is it empathy, vulnerability, authenticity, joy, playfulness, or something else?

I hope where you are, you’ll be able to experience these small harbinger’s of hope and light. I hope they’ll offer you a little inspiration.

Yours in spirit,

Sandra

P.S. As a little extra, here’s a poem I wrote about bioluminscence in sea creatures (from my book Wonderwork and originally published in Moon City Review).