My new dragonfly...

Dragonfly, a type of insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera. But I don’t really care about that!

Have you ever just watched a dragonfly? Lying on the front of our boat, literally inches above the water, I can watch them at eye level. I never see them flap their wings; they just skim and glide on top of the water. Their ability to hover perfectly still and then dart off in every which direction before you’ve even blinked is fascinating. They come just close enough to catch my attention and then they’re off doing their dance for me. It’s pretty clear to me as to why they represent a wild and free spirit.

Here's one of my favorite pieces hanging up in our sun room...

Dragonflies are born under water and gradually surface as they mature until they are above the water, wings outstretched where they are now free to swirl, hover, dart and glide, yet always staying close to the deep waters it came from. For this reason, in some cultures the dragonfly spirit encourages you to make a conscious effort to express your hopes, dreams, needs and wishes. The dragonfly is part of the water world, which represents the subconscious thoughts. It's also part of the air and wind world, which represents change.

Essentially, the dragonfly represents that life is too short to not take notice when our deeper thoughts rise to the surface. It is our responsibility to pay attention to this subconscious because what we think is directly related to what we see “on the surface” of our lives. They symbolize pushing past self-created illusions that limit personal growth, so you can discover who you actually are and let that light shine; a symbol of the sense of self that comes with maturity. Which is what I am constantly striving to achieve, to take my passionate and emotional youth and find mental clarity and control. It’s not about losing that spirit, but it’s finding that balance.

The more I read about what the dragonfly represents in so many different cultures, I kept coming upon a common thread that seemed to be mentioned every time, that the dragonfly means hope, change and love. Who doesn't want to cling to that?

And to think, at first I was drawn to them simply because they are beautiful.