It was a dark, overcast night. Thick, dark, gray clouds had made sure that there was no starlight or moonlight to greet me as I walked out on my porch. Still, I kept the porch light off because I didn’t want to be munched on by bugs and buzzed by moths on this sticky Summer evening. I stood there for awhile letting my eyes adjust to the lack of light. My dog stood beside me waiting patiently for me to start her walk. It was then, though, that I saw them. First one blink of light at the far end of the meadow followed by another and then another. I smiled. I recognized them at once as my firefly friends, my lightning bug buddies who always showed up this time of the year.

I got so much joy watching them first as a child and then as an adult. They never became dull or boring and they always filled me with delight. When I was little I used to sit in the grass and watch them slowly fly around blinking on and off. I never captured and put one in a jar as some kids did because I was afraid I might kill it and I never wanted to hurt these messengers of light. Their time on this earth was so brief as it was. I tried to enjoy them each night they were here. It always saddened me when they disappeared in the Fall and it always made my heart sing when they reappeared the next Summer.

I think I enjoy these little fireflies so much because I can see that we are like them in a lot of ways. Our time here on earth is brief. Often our light and love are more like on and off blinks rather than a steady shine. Still, we do our best to share it and take comfort in knowing that others will be shining their light long after we are gone.

We all come from the light and we all return to the light. We all are light. Let’s share our love and light while we are here then. Let’s spend our days giving God’s light to the world.