July 27, 2000 ~ Dragonfly's Breath

Have you ever watched a dragonfly breathe?

I was in a rather frustrated mood the other day. I don't even remember why, exactly. The Melancholy just struck rather suddenly, and I needed to lose my funk. I was on my way home, passing through the section of trail on campus which leads through the butterfly garden. It was sunny and warm, but not hot. I slowed my pace and looked at some of the various flowers.

Two bright white dragonflies flitted across my path, and landed on a warm rock right next to me. I squatted down to look at them more closely, and noticed something that I had never seen before. Their whole bodies were rapidly expanding and contracting with their breath. As I watched, the movement started to slow. These dragonflies were catching their breath. I smiled and figured it was pretty good advice. It's always a good idea to catch one's breath.

I walked slower after that, feeling the sun on my back after a long work day. The Jewel Plants are in bloom in the woods around here. Jewel Plants are beautiful, delicate plants that always grow near poison ivy. It is one of the best cures for poison ivy there is. Their leaves have that powder green color that looks as if it would blow away if I breathed on it. The orange-yellow flowers really do look like jewels. They hang from a thin green strand of stem, and are too detailed to describe. They look as if they are lit from within, and if you come across a large patch of them, it looks as if jewels are literally growing on the bushes. Once the seed pod develops and is ready to be released, a simple tap can cause it to explode an send tiny seeds scattering everywhere. As I walked through a patch of them, I tapped a few seed pods to send their contents scattering about in green bursts.

Who would have guessed that dragonflies' breath and jewel seeds could be so relaxing?

previous / archive / next