| Afterglow |
Afterglow
Funny how the least little things encountered in the briefest of moments, can strike
an inquisitive mind to consider - lightening bugs. I was walking about my yard the
other day. It was evening and the sun had settled into that magical moment when
the nocturnally oriented of nature had awakened.
Deep in the dark green grass was the unmistakable glow of two lightening bugs, or
fireflies if you prefer. The pulse of their lights were not totally in sync with each
other, offering a slightly different on – off pattern off their chemically induced “fire
light.” I could see nothing of them except the softness of their light and I must say
it did cause me a sweet moment of peaceful thought. I smiled and intently watched
as the pulse of their lights slowly became synchronized.
“Ah hah!,” I thought to myself.
The renewal process, the most inherent and driving force in nature has begun.
Nature does have the most subtle of ways in exposing her secrets to a keen eyed
observer. There they were – two little bugs - in many ways insignificant in the
grand scheme concerning the overall end result of the universe! What of the
lessons I have learned from other observations of this type? Are they really so
insignificant that in some future time their short moment of firefly ecstasy could not
have an effect upon our world? After all, here I am assuming!... yes assuming, that
I have grasped the full meaning of my little observation. Meaningless in the over
all picture, but meaningful to these two little fireflies!
If it were not for firefly love, there would be no fireflies! Where would the world be
today without fireflies? I do not have that answer, but I am sure the world and
therefore the universe, would be a little less pleasing to live in were it not for their
existence. Even as a child I enjoyed catching them and placing them in jars,
watching them glow for a while and later releasing them back to the world so they
could continue on with their insignificant lives. Insignificant? Not anymore in my
mind. Over just a few minutes I had gone from standing above, to lowering myself
to observe their glowing lights. I sat there for sometime, then raised my self up to
continue on with my evening walk about my small yard that also, has no significant
meaning to the universe on the whole.
My life, is not so different as a firefly’s. There will be little I leave behind to
remember in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps nothing that will affect the
universe in any way. Yet, I will also leave behind two wonderful children. Who
knows? Perhaps somewhere down the small branch on the tree of life which my own
insignificant life resides, will emerge a moment of consideration by a descendant
who could change the world and the future of all mankind… maybe even the
universe.
When the glow of my light has pulsed its last… perhaps someday, something I
have written or someone in my line, even many years into the future will make a
most significant contribution that I cannot even conceive at this moment. Even the
universe might change for the better. Worlds could be saved! Peace could be found
for all “creature-kind” and all because somewhere in the distant past, one person
started a chain of events that lead to a great moment forever to be remembered in
history!
Such an after-glow that would be. One never knows!
by DWHolmes (copyright 2005)
Funny how the least little things encountered in the briefest of moments, can strike
an inquisitive mind to consider - lightening bugs. I was walking about my yard the
other day. It was evening and the sun had settled into that magical moment when
the nocturnally oriented of nature had awakened.
Deep in the dark green grass was the unmistakable glow of two lightening bugs, or
fireflies if you prefer. The pulse of their lights were not totally in sync with each
other, offering a slightly different on – off pattern off their chemically induced “fire
light.” I could see nothing of them except the softness of their light and I must say
it did cause me a sweet moment of peaceful thought. I smiled and intently watched
as the pulse of their lights slowly became synchronized.
“Ah hah!,” I thought to myself.
The renewal process, the most inherent and driving force in nature has begun.
Nature does have the most subtle of ways in exposing her secrets to a keen eyed
observer. There they were – two little bugs - in many ways insignificant in the
grand scheme concerning the overall end result of the universe! What of the
lessons I have learned from other observations of this type? Are they really so
insignificant that in some future time their short moment of firefly ecstasy could not
have an effect upon our world? After all, here I am assuming!... yes assuming, that
I have grasped the full meaning of my little observation. Meaningless in the over
all picture, but meaningful to these two little fireflies!
If it were not for firefly love, there would be no fireflies! Where would the world be
today without fireflies? I do not have that answer, but I am sure the world and
therefore the universe, would be a little less pleasing to live in were it not for their
existence. Even as a child I enjoyed catching them and placing them in jars,
watching them glow for a while and later releasing them back to the world so they
could continue on with their insignificant lives. Insignificant? Not anymore in my
mind. Over just a few minutes I had gone from standing above, to lowering myself
to observe their glowing lights. I sat there for sometime, then raised my self up to
continue on with my evening walk about my small yard that also, has no significant
meaning to the universe on the whole.
My life, is not so different as a firefly’s. There will be little I leave behind to
remember in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps nothing that will affect the
universe in any way. Yet, I will also leave behind two wonderful children. Who
knows? Perhaps somewhere down the small branch on the tree of life which my own
insignificant life resides, will emerge a moment of consideration by a descendant
who could change the world and the future of all mankind… maybe even the
universe.
When the glow of my light has pulsed its last… perhaps someday, something I
have written or someone in my line, even many years into the future will make a
most significant contribution that I cannot even conceive at this moment. Even the
universe might change for the better. Worlds could be saved! Peace could be found
for all “creature-kind” and all because somewhere in the distant past, one person
started a chain of events that lead to a great moment forever to be remembered in
history!
Such an after-glow that would be. One never knows!
by DWHolmes (copyright 2005)
