Dear Reader:

“May you touch dragonflies and stars…Dance with fairies…and Talk to the Moon.”

Don’t we wish that thought for everyone we love….children, grandchildren, and children at heart? I never want to grow up and lose the wonder and awe of nature and imagination.

I feel so lucky to have small grandchildren so I can return to the magic of childhood, whimsy, and fantasy.

Sadly…my little Eva Cate has come to the ripe “old” age of four (almost five) and for the first time she has become very inquisitive about death. She wants to know about my parents and where they are and why they died. On every television show…she asks if some character is alive or dead now?

She asked me awhile back if I was going to die…because she would be very sad if I did. I replied “Yes”….that everyone dies at some point in their lives…but I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon if I could help it.

I have talked about Heaven and all of us being together again…but am not sure how it is all filtering down. She told me the other day that she didn’t want to grow up…because she didn’t want to die.

I then remembered the little dragonfly story that a friend (Cookie Williams) shared with me years ago…from a little pamphlet she had.

It was the best explanation of death for children (and adults) I had heard….I took it, revised it somewhat and personalized the little dragonfly…naming him David after my brother.

Not sure Eva Cate is quite ready to understand the metaphors but the story in itself is such a beautiful one.

So the next time….Eva Cate spends the night and we are dancing with fairies, touching dragonflies, and talking to the moon…we might just have a special bedtime story.

DAVID, THE DRAGONFLY, DISCOVERS THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

(Adaptation by Becky Dingle of Water Bugs & Dragonflies)        

                                    CHRISTMAS 2009

Once upon a time in a quiet little pond there lived a large family of water bugs. They were a happy group, always scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond visiting with each other.

 However, every now and then they did notice that someone in the group just seemed to lose interest in what was going on. And then one day the water bug would climb a pond lily until he or she moved out of sight. The strange thing was that no one ever saw him or her again.

David, one of the most inquisitive water bugs in the family, was always asking why someone just disappeared and never returned. Everyone he asked had the same response, “It is just the way it is.” But that answer never satisfied David. He kept asking, “Where do you suppose he went?” “Wasn’t he happy here?” No one ever had an answer. They were all puzzled but again replied, “It is just the way it is.”

 One day David gathered some of his cousins together and made a suggestion. “I have an idea. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to return and tell the rest of us where he or she went and most importantly WHY?” The little group all agreed. “We promise,” they said solemnly.

 One spring day, not long after, David found himself climbing up the lily stalk. He didn’t know why but he knew he just had to do it. Something or Someone was pulling him. Up, up, up he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broken through the surface of the water, and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad. He felt suddenly very tired from the long climb and fell asleep.

 When he awoke he looked around with surprise! He couldn’t believe what he saw! A startling change had to come to him. His movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. The warmth of the sun soon dried the moisture from his new body. He moved his wings and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly!

 Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in his new home. By and by, David lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. There it was that he just happened to look below to the bottom of the pond. Why, he was right above his old friends and family, the water bugs! There they were scurrying about, just as he had been doing before.

 Then David remembered his promise: “The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell the others where he went and WHY?” So without thinking, David darted down and hit the surface of the water and immediately bounced off. Now that he was a dragonfly, he could no longer go back in the water.

 “I CAN’T RETURN!” he said in dismay. “At least I tried, but I can’t keep my promise. Then another startling thought hit him. “Even if I could go back, no one would recognize me in my new body. I guess I’ll just have to wait until all my family and friends become dragonflies too. Then they will understand what happened to me, and where I went.”

 …So David, the dragonfly, winged off happily into his wonderful new world of beautiful sun, light, and air.

*PLEASE REMEMBER ________________________WHO HAS LEFT THE POND WE LIVE IN. GIVE ______________A GOOD LIFE, TOO, IN A WONDERFUL NEW WORLD OF SUN, LIGHT, AND AIR. AND THEN REMEMBER ME, AND LET ME SOMEDAY BE WITH _______________________.

…………………….

So until tomorrow…Help us Father give guidance and understanding to Your children about Your Love and return back to their Heavenly Home.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

 * Brookie sent this picture to reassure all the Ya’s and friends that she is fine and doing well….Go Brookie! Thanks for everyone’s thoughts and prayers.

We love you Rudy!

    * Don’t forget to vote for a “waterbug” little boy (scurrying around) or a “dragonfly” little girl (fluttering around)…..we would love to hear from everyone with their guess. The contest is making these last few weeks more fun for Mollie, Walsh, and Rutledge…please join in!