In the bottom of an old pond lived some grubs who could not understand why none of their groups ever came back after crawling up the stems of the lilies to the top of the water. They promised each other that the next one who was called to make the upward climb would return and tell what happened to him. Soon one of them felt an urgent impulse to seek the surface; he rested himself on the top of a lily pad and went through a glorious transformation, which made him a dragonfly with beautiful wings. In vain, he tried to keep his promise. Flying back and forth over the pond, he peered down at his friends below. Then he realized that even if they could see him they would not recognize such a radiant creature as one of their number.
The fact that we cannot see our friends or communicate with them after the transformation, which we call death, is no proof that they cease to exist.
- Walter Dudley Cavert
What a beautiful story Suzann. It's very comforting and a wonderful reminder that death is a change not an end. It just requires a higher form of communication.
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lucyd
Oh, I totally agree wit Lucy. We just need to call upon a higher form of cummunication. They're there...and they're listening.
ReplyDeleteLovely story. I agree completely - just because we can't hear or talk to someone doesn't mean that they cease to exist. Just be open to accepting that communication isn't necessarily by sound or sight.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. Many can still talk to those over there. I am not sure if it's good or not; but for those who do so, they feel it's normal and healthy. I haven't experienced that but have enough friends who have that I have no doubt it's so.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely story.
ReplyDeleteAs long as we remember our departed loved ones, they still live on in our hearts and minds.
The Dragonfly Legend is well worth remembering. There is so much we don't yet know, that entertaining the possibility there are other dimensions of existence should not be discounted. We can receive comfort if we can embrace that perspective.
ReplyDeleteoh, suzann, what a beautiful story! thanks for sharing this. I am copying it now for my aunt who has lost her husband and her brother. :)
ReplyDeletesuzann - thank you. I am writing now about the sudden death of a young woman a few weeks ago and this is so clarifying for me - many thanks.
ReplyDeleteI just found this today...the one year anniversary of my beloved mom's passing. The last seven years have been years of loss. My twin sons, my father, both my grandmothers and then my beloved mom to cancer. I had been searching for this piece about dragonflies. Sigh. Who says it's time to be over it all, eh?
ReplyDeleteKaren Pothier
My niece recently gave me this at the suicide death of my 18 year old son. I will never look at a dragonfly the same way again.
ReplyDeleteI really like that. That is something that is very true and people should remember.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice way to look at this!
ReplyDeleteI'll keep it in mind!
last week a dragon fly landed on my hand and staid there a little while.
Just for a moment I thought of my deceased mum.
Greetings from the Netherlands,
I lost my daughter a year ago.
ReplyDeleteShortly thereafter while I was working in my garden, beautiful
blue dragonflies would come and hover around me and land at my feet. I related their presence to my sweet daughter. Two weeks ago I told my story to a friend, and she told me about the legend. I didn't realize until then the meaning of the dragonflies.
thanks
ReplyDeleteOMG. This is amazing as I have felt that I have been going through a transformation not only as a Christian woman who has been through many trials but after having lost my Husband five years ago I was in the garden this spring and was fascinated with the new life and noticed a dragonfly several times it perched nearby where I looked at it in wonder. Then I was at the same time in contact with a friend my Husband and I knew back in High school and we became aquainted and shared or experiences with our loss of our spouses and our Faith. We have become close and through our long distance emails I started signing off with a dragonfly and not really knowing why I did, I just thought it was pretty and luminous and fascinating to see them. So I have had sort of a connection with the symbol and the artistry, whenever I see one. I even wear earrings now all the time that are Dragonflys. So I thought today I would look up on the internet Dragonflys. To my surprise it led me here to this beautiful story and it was like dejavue and amazing as that is exactly what I feel like has been happening with me after so many years of trials and grief that suddenly I am free to love again, and a New Life has come forward. TAKE CARE ALL, and Many Blessings from God to you... JS
ReplyDeleteI received this email from my new fav friend JS. Her post date says 9/15/10 and uses the name Anonymous but I know it's her by her signature. We share several losses in our lives. I have been watching her go through a transformation much like I did and realize that like the dragon fly we change weather we know it or not and our transformation does not go unnoticed. It is how we change that is important and some times we change for the worse before we change for the better. I have been reconnected to JS for about 9 months now and I have seen a women who was living in the loss of her husband transform into a women who is desiring to and moving forward to live in a life of gain and not loss. I have learned that our memories of those whom we have lost are in our heart not in things they left behind. Love your story and love you JS (CG).
ReplyDeleteIn fact it is a big manipulation to make the dragonfly responsible for those that remain below the water line! The dragonfly adult is committed to traveling far and wide in their new dimension above the pond at the end of the garden, in order to live a truly full and complete life... so I suggest you agree to concentrate on your own transformation and allow those who have passed to go on their journey unimpeded by the sadness of those left behind... Loss of a loved one can lead to a long lonely dark night of the soul, however to hold on to them through our personal emptiness and consequent emotional manipulation is to stop their potential evolution.... I know they are their to love and support me, but if I don't let go, and continue to hold them back, I am not loving and supporting them to the best of my ability. I believe it is time for us all to be generous and loving in all dimensions of being. Blessings on your journey to wholeness..... I know where my mother reincarnated and my father... they came through as two of my grandchildren so now they get to be first cousins... its astounding how like there previous selves they are ... same lessons, same challenges, same interests... new relationship with each other... less pressure, more potential for joy... with evolving joy and celebration lovingly
ReplyDeleteyour sister through chaos and comfort
Shankari the Alchemist (shankari.com)
This is such a wonderful story!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter lost her husband 9 years ago and adopted the dragonfly as a symbol of her love for him and in rembrance of him - she passed away recently and this story has actually given me the most comfort since. Thanks you for posting it.
ReplyDeleteMy mom passed three weeks ago. For the past week I have been seeing dragonflies(mind you I have never seen a dragonfly in real life before). I decided to look up the symbolism of dragonflies and low and behold I find the dragonfly story. At this very instant I feel a sense of comfort.
ReplyDeleteIt was really a good read for me. I enjoyed this story very much.
ReplyDeleteEnergy Patent Agent
We have encountered dragonflies after my dad passed away last June. In fact, the evening after his death, my daughter and I were in our swimming pool when a huge black dragonfly started flying back and forth across the pool. It keep doing this for over an hour, never deviating from course, just back and forth, back and forth, like it was watching over us.
ReplyDeleteLast month, I had gone to the cemetery where both my mom and my dad are buried. As I stood there by their graves, a dragonfly landed on my back. In all of my 50 years, I have never had a dragonfly land on me.
Then yesterday, at my youngest son's wedding, a black dragonfly flew through the pavilion where the ceremony had just taken place and landed on my son's back. Out of the 17 people attending, it landed on the groom on his wedding day. I believe it to be a sign from my dad that he is still part of our lives. :)
my mom shared this with me before she passed and i have seen so many dragonfly signs since her passing i have struggled with addiction and the last time i was in detox a dragonfly hit me in the side of my head as i was just reading this a dragonfly flew by me
ReplyDeleteMy mother and father passed away 3 and 4 years ago. On what would have been their 61st wedding anniversary last week, I noticed a dragonfly that comes and perches on a branch every time I sit on my bench in the front of the house. I had a strange feeling that it was somehow connected to my parents spirits. I know it sound crazy but this same dragonfly has come to my house everyday and has allowed me to pet its wings. It perches there and stays with me the entire time I am outside. I actually find myself talking to it and I know it is a sign that they are still with me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this ♥
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