Dancing Lights in the Night

Last night I was sitting on my back porch enjoying a cigar. It is an unhealthy habit I know, but I find it relaxing. It also helps to clear my mind. It gives me a way to let go of the stress and focus my thoughts elsewhere. It was about 8:30 pm, right at dusk as the darkness of night crept upon me in between the evening rain showers. I could smell the crisp freshly fallen rain in the air. Mixed with the smell of my Oliva Serie G Maduro, I was truly in a state serenity and relaxation.

I was settled into my rocking chair about halfway through my cigar, not a care in the world. Then I saw it off across the yard, the small subtle neon green light floating through the air. It lit up for a few seconds then went back out and relit again a few feet away. I knew immediately what it was, a Lampyridae, more commonly known as a lightning bug or firefly. A few moments later I saw another, then another, and another. Before I knew it, I was captivated by thousands of these little neon green lights flickering on and off around my yard and the surrounding yards in the neighborhood.

I was quickly brought back to my childhood, chasing and catching lightning bugs around the yard with my brother. I remember putting them in little glass jars with holes poked in the lid, sometimes with small pieces of potato for the bugs to nibble on. I would then put the jar beside my bed and fade off to sleep watching mother nature’s night lights flickering on and off. Now that I am older, I know what happens when you put the lightning bugs in a jar. It kills them. Also, I am too old and lazy to chase these little bugs around the yard now days. However, it was a nice stroll down memory lane. I sat there for another 30 minutes or so as the night grew darker, just watching the lightning bugs flicker on and off as I enjoyed the rest of my cigar.

While I know it sounds silly to find such a state of peace watching bugs fly around the back yard, it set into reality that nature surrounds us every day in more ways than we could ever imagine (or realize) and its amazing. I think many of us forget or fail to realize the true beauty and amazement of this beautiful planet in which we call home. I feel like we could all benefit from taking a step back sometimes to reconnect and enjoy nature. Mother nature in all her glory can be a sensational force surrounding us every day. Whether it be out in the country, on a lake, your backyard, or downtown in a major city, nature is there persevering and adapting to all the changes of the world, and some of us never even notice. A lot of people will say things like “I want to enjoy nature, but I don’t have time; I don’t know where to go,” or countless other excuses to not enjoy nature. The truth is it is so simple to enjoy. Go outside and start looking around. Nature is everywhere and you can enjoy it any time, any place or any way you want.

Whether it is going for a hike, stopping to enjoy some beautiful landscaping, watching the squirrels and birds at the local park, or sitting on the back porch watching the lightning bugs. The options are limitless, nature is around us every single day no matter where we are. Even if we do not realize it, it is there. So, let us get out there and start enjoying this beautiful, amazing planet as it was meant by our creator for us to enjoy. Like the lightning bugs we are just another amazing creation walking hand in hand with mother nature. And I feel like that is the way it was meant to be.