The Lesson of the Dragonfly

God speaks in many different ways, sometimes He just whispers something to your soul, other times He may give you a dream. One of my favorite ways He speaks to me is through nature. He tends to either give me profound analogies or sometimes He just leads me to research the meaning or symbolism of things. Zach and I spent part of our honey-moon in Tennessee where we went swimming at a little "beach".

 

This is the view from where we sat

As we were swimming  in the water I apparently made a friend. This blue dragonfly landed on my shoulder and continued to just sit there for about 5 mins. He/she never introduced themself so I don't know by what name to call my little friend but he seemed to enjoy my company. He flew about landing on my hand or shoulder for the next 10 mins. The experience was so uncanny I couldn't help but think it had to mean something so I decided to look up the symbolic meaning of dragonflies and this is what I found.

• Maturity and a Depth of character
  The dragonfly, in almost every part of the world symbolizes change and change in the perspective of self realization; and the kind of change that has its source in mental and emotional maturity and the understanding of the deeper meaning of life.
  
  The traditional association of Dragonflies with water also gives rise to this meaning to this amazing insect. The Dragonfly’s scurrying flight across water represents an act of going beyond what’s on the surface and looking into the deeper implications and aspects of life.

• Power and Poise
  The dragonfly’s agile flight and its ability to move in all six directions exude a sense of power and poise - something that comes only with age and maturity.
  The dragonfly can move at an amazing 45 miles an hour,  hover like a helicopter fly backwards like a hummingbird, fly straight up, down and on either side. What is mind blowing is the fact that it can do this while flapping its wings a mere 30 times a minute while mosquitoes and houseflies need to flap their wings 600 and 1000 times a minute respectively.
  
  The awe inspiring aspect is how the dragonfly accomplishes its objectives with utmost simplicity, effectiveness and well, if you look at proportions, with 20 times as much power in each of its wing strokes when compared to the other insects.  The best part is that the dragonfly does it with elegance and grace that can be compared to a veteran ballet dancer. If this is not a brazen, lazy, overkill in terms of display of raw power, what is?

• Defeat of Self Created Illusions
  The dragonfly exhibits iridescence both on its wings as well as on its body. Iridescence is the property of an object to show itself in different colors depending on the angle and polarization of light falling on it.
  
  This property is seen and believed as the end of one’s self created illusions and a clear vision into the realities of life. The magical property of iridescence is also associated with the discovery of one’s own abilities by unmasking the real self and removing the doubts one casts on his/her own sense of identity. This again indirectly means self discovery and removal of inhibitions.

• Focus on living ‘IN’ the moment
  The dragonfly normally lives most of its life as a nymph or an immature. It flies only for a fraction of its life and usually not more than a few months. This adult dragonfly does it all in these few months and leaves nothing to be desired. This style of life symbolizes and exemplifies the virtue of living IN the moment and living life to the fullest. By living in the moment you are aware of who you are, where you are, what you are doing, what you want, what you don’t and make informed choices on a moment-to-moment basis.
  
  This ability lets you live your life without regrets like the great dragonfly.

• The opening of one’s eyes
  The eyes of the dragonfly are one of the most amazing and awe inspiring sights. Given almost 80% of the insect’s brain power is dedicated to its sight and the fact that it can see in all 360 degrees around it, it symbolizes the uninhibited vision of the mind and the ability to see beyond the limitations of the human self. It also in a manner of speaking symbolizes a man/woman’s rising from materialism to be able to see beyond the mundane into the vastness that is really our Universe, and our own minds

This explanation of what my experience meant hit home so unbelievably well. Here in Miami both Zach and I are gaining a clearer picture of where God is leading us. We are growing so much as God is defining our identity as one even more. In the Latino culture "living in the moment" is definitely a common characteristic which has been rubbing off on me the more I acclimate to my surroundings. God is preparing us for a life that does not waste time but is always looking clearly toward how each moment can truly be utilized for good. In the future I will be sharing more on the things that God has given us a passion and a heart for but for now I will leave you to contemplate the lesson of the dragonfly and how each of us are maturing and coming into a greater knowledge of not onlly who we are in Christ but who He is.

 Me before jumping into the water

Zach taking a little nap after driving through the mountains

A Tale of Two Tiny Dandelions

To some a Dandelion might represent something resembling a weed, a nuisance, or just something that needs to be gotten rid of. As a child, I enjoyed that magical feeling of blowing the little seed globe and watching all the delightful white fuzzies each float through the air on their own journey. Dandelions meant something of hope to me then, they meant making a wish and believing it would come true. 

As a result of my soul searching I have found a deeper and more personal meaning to the Dandelion. Lilias Trotter, a woman to whom I have looked for spiritual insight wrote "This dandelion has long ago surrendered its golden petals, and has reached its crowning stage of dying - the delicate seedglobe must break up now - it gives and gives till it has nothing left...There is no sense in wrenching: it stands ready, holding up its little life, not knowing when or where of how the wind that bloweth where it listeth may carry it away. It holds itself no longer for its own keeping, only as something to be given..." She was writing of herself and I have considered myself to be a Dandelion as well ever since I read and understood her meaning. As a christian I count it joy to give my life for the one who loved and surrendered His life first, to surrender my "golden petals" and hold my life up ready and willing for Him to send me where I can be fruitful even at the cost of death. 

I have found myself floating through the air after having my faithful Father breathe His breath of life over me and have landed as a married woman in Miami, Florida. Sometimes I'm not quite sure how I landed here, it seems just yesterday I was waiting in my own little meadow dreaming of promises yet to come and now here I am. I thought dying and being willing to be sent was the hard part but I have found that being fruitful and something of worth is just as challenging. I am 23 years old, have been married for 2 months, and just moved to Miami right after Zach and I "tied the knot". This journey that God has sent us on, these two dandelions of His, has been difficult but I can't help but feel an overcoming peace in knowing that there is a purpose to us being here. Even if it is to be but a shining light of His love and freedom to those around us.

I have created this blog to tell of the great adventure God has set us on knowing that it is filled with a lot of love, laughter, and tears. I pray that those tears will inspire growth and add not only flavor but genuineness of heart to the Tales of Two Tiny Dandelions.