Lightening Bugs

As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of advice for all of the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 21 Catch Lightening bugs in jar... but let them go.

In the days before Wii and Iphones and Facebook, and DVD players, etc., summer, in the south was a glorious playing field. Anything was possible when the sun didn't go down until after 9. A child could stay outside all day long and get dirty, make mud pies, ride bikes, come in for dinner and then have at least three more hours left of the day. However, the best part of the day was that moment right after the sun had made its final bow into the night.
This was the moment when the lightening bugs came out. I always stopped and stood silently for just a moment as the lightening bugs began to make their presence known once again. I was always encouraged to catch them in a jar, but I was always supposed to let them go.
I would catch a couple, or a few, because lightening bugs get lonely very easily, and I would watch them ignite their beautiful flames. Their lights would flicker for a few brief moments and then I would unscrew the lid of the jar and send them on their way. Then I would do it again.
"Nature's night light" is what my Grandma called them. "They light up so all of God's creatures can find their way home at night."
It is such a peaceful twinkling of time to stand in the middle of a freshly mowed yard with a jar full of lightening bugs flickering. The soundtrack is the song that the crickets and the Katydids have chosen for the evening's entertainment. There is a still in the air and the smell of rain on the horizon. Children find these moments and cherish them. Why can't we catch lightening bugs in a jar as adults?
I highly encourage you, in these final days of summer, to go out in your yard, or someone else's and catch some lightening bugs in a jar. Watch them glow for a moment and then let them go so that all of God's creatures can find their way home.

The first piece of advice...

As a grown up, I have realized that in the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some I learned in school and through experience. Many I learned from my aunts. Now I am aunt and my oldest neice recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know, you learn in kindergarten. I believe that there are many things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that can only be learned by living. So, for the next year I plan to give some tiny words of wisdom to all of the neices and nephews in the world, or really to anyone who will listen. They might not work for everybody, and you might not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by, or wish I did.

Today I want to begin with this one:

Dance in the rain. It helps you grow.
It may seem silly, but there is nothing like getting caught in a warm summer rain. Instead of running for the nearest place of refuge, take a second to stand there with your arms open wide, your eyes closed, and your head turned to the sky. Let the water splash your face and cleanse your heart. Then when you are certain that everyone is looking at you as if you are crazy, wave your arms and DANCE. It doesn't have to be good, or to a beat, because when you dance in the rain it is to your own tune and your own melody. Let the rain embrace you and dance until you are completely soaked. I almost guarantee that you will feel all of your burdens lifted and your spirits will be a little higher.