Guest post by: Sherry Burnett, from Ruby Ranch
This is a story about magic, a tiny speck of magic that appeared in my day. Magic is hard to come by these days, and when it finds you, I hope that you are sufficiently open-minded enough to recognize it.
If you are too jaded, too busy, too logical or too scientifically minded to appreciate magic, you may as well just stop reading now, for you will only roll your eyes.
Yesterday morning, I was taking L.J and Stannie out for their morning exercise. I had just come around the side of the house when I saw some trash on the ground. Or what I thought to be trash. It looked like a little bit of cellophane, like maybe a cigarette pack wrapper, glinting in the sun. I was just about to nudge it with my toe, but thought I saw it move slightly.
I bent down for a closer look, and there, nestled in the grass, was a beautiful dragonfly. He was very large, about three inches from head to tail. His wings were magnificent, not iridescent like I am used to seeing, but a clear, sparkling glass-like quality. I wondered why he was just lying there, almost motionless in the grass. Then I noticed that his wings had a few droplets of morning dew on them, he was probably just waiting for his wings to dry in the sun.
I didn’t want to leave him there to be trampled, so I put my finger near his feet, and he obligingly hopped right on. I was then able to get the closest look I have ever been able to get at a live dragonfly. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so lovely, so intricate and breathtaking. He was different shades of green and gray, with his large head consisting mainly of two enormous eyes.
I’ve already told you about his wings, and close up, they were even more breathtaking. So delicate, they looked as if they would rip to ribbons in a strong wind. Tiny black veins ran this way and that, creating different sections, or compartments in the wing itself. Where the wings joined together on his back, there was a strange little array of hinge-like components, they looked almost like something man-made, but organic at the same time. I’m certain no human mind could create anything so brilliant, so intricate and beautiful.
After I had finished drinking in his beauty, I wondered what best to do with him? Where could he be safe until his wings dried out? I set him down on a fence post, and continued into the backyard with L.J and Stan. I sat down in a lawn chair, but couldn’t stop thinking about the dragonfly. Finally, deciding that he would be easy prey for any bird, sitting on that fence post, I went to get him. He had moved a little, probably knowing that he was too visible where he was. I put my finger next to his feet, and again, he climbed right on. As I was walking back to my chair with him, I set him on my t-shirt.
By the time I had reached my chair, he had clambered all the way up my shirt, and was now making his way up a section of my hair. I was a little bit startled when he moved from my hair to my face, and the sensation was a little unnerving. His feet had tiny barbs on them, which I could not feel when he was on my finger, but I could certainly feel them on my face! Each step he took was a little prickling sensation, and even now, I can still imagine it. He made his way quite quickly up my chin, over my cheek and straight for my glasses. Once there, he seemed comfortable, and we relaxed like that together for some time. It was somewhat bizarre to look out of the corner of my eye and see his enormous eyes right there, seemingly looking back at me.
After a time, he decided he wasn’t yet quite close enough, and he popped his head right up under my glasses! I took them off, and there we reclined, for probably about 45 minutes. I started to wonder at this whole situation. What possibly could be his motivation, for staying with me for such a long time, and why did he feel the need to be right there-touching my eyelid?
I started to think that maybe he had a message for me. He was trying to show me something. I opened my eye, as best I could with that one prickly little foot still resting on it, and I looked at him. And right at that very moment, (and this is where it gets strange, folks) the name George came to my mind. George was our beautiful Kune Kune pig, who passed away a year ago in August. George and I shared an uncommon bond, and when he left this earth, I was inconsolable, incapacitated for a week. Until a wonderful person told me, don’t worry, you and George will meet again. And you will know, you will recognize each other.
I was breathless, stupefied. I put my finger next to him again, and when he hopped on, I held him in my palm and looked at him. It was a windy morning, and his delicate wings were being buffeted by the breeze, so I held him protectively in my palms. Suddenly, as if he knew his mission had been accomplished, he waggled his head at me ( oh yes, he did!) waved one leg quickly over one bulbous eye, almost in a wave or salute, and he whizzed away on gossamer wings.
I was overcome with emotion. I didn’t cry, I wasn’t sad, I was elated. I sat for a while, smiling, thinking about all the magical things that happen in this universe, every day, if only we choose to see them.
Here there be dragons, and pigs, and spirits. And magic.
