I opened the garage and a bright blue glint caught my eye, right behind my truck. I saw the dragonfly resting on the driveway. I figured he would spring into the air as I got near. The wind blew and he moved, but stayed right by the truck. I came closer. He stood still. I put my things in the truck. His fluttered a bit, but my tire would make quick work of him if he did not move.
I went to shoo him away and then realized he was already far away. The movement had been caused by the wind. His wings, made to fly, gave the appearance of flight. I picked him up and placed him inside the truck. Some ants came scurrying off the carcass. They did not make it.
Later in the day, I tried to takes some pictures in the sun to try to recreate the bright blue beacon I saw in the morning, but the wind was blowing so hard that every time I set the dragon fly down, he took to flight and I kept having to chase him across the parking lot. The picture I took of him does not do him justice. The blue was magnificent. Here it is muted. As I have looked at the picture I can see the damage done to his wings. Either life or death was rough for him.
I feel like we are living in a difficult world and people are more delicate than we imagine. They need to know that they are loved. The need to know that they matter. Unfortunately, the wind of the times is tumbling people over and over. Their wings are damaged. Their colors have been diminished. They are dying on the inside. A dragonfly lives a short time (6 months from start to finish), but people have a long way to go.
Our job right now is to love the people around us, to lift them up, to give them hope.