Dragons in the air

Two days ago the dragonflies of Miami must have all matured into adults. as there were swarms partying all over campus and from my balcony at home, I can see them perched and drinking the dew on every palm tree spire. The dragons at the park this morning are distinctly different from those hatched at school. Looking on line, I found out that there are 5000 species of dragonflies (!) and that they date back to 300 million years ago. Much older than any of us can claim. Let's show a little respect here.
It is a myth that these dragons of the air only live for a few days, but it is true that the adults live for the shortest time of their cycle of life. Maybe they will live for a few months, if a predator doesn't snag them sooner. Think: Nighthawk!

The majority of the dragon's lifespan is spent under water... which, when I mentioned it to a beleaguered colleague, she said, "just like us". And that made me laugh. We do spend an awful lot of life seemingly underwater- holding our breath and only focusing on the small area around us. I like to believe that with maturity we too will earn "wings"and gain a wider perspective.
Now flying through the air, these dragons have powerful vision and snap-ready control of their flight patterns. We like to imagine they are filling their short days with mating and eventual laying of eggs, and that they live for the moment, sensing the fleeting nature of life. I am not sure I want to be like a dragon fly- but I do know that I want to stop a moment and reflect on this evidence of a life transformation. It is like poetry in the air.