Firefly Light
Do you want to capture the light? Or foster it so it shines brighter?
I fly around the air
Weaving and flowing about.
Such a wonderful world of wonders,
Flowers and greens, and leaves and trees.
My light shines,
Leaving a trail of brightness behind me.
They admire me, see my beauty.
They want to share in my light.
They want me to illuminate their darkness.
So they lure me, containing me in a jar,
Harnessing the light that emits from my body and being.
Capturing me and keeping me for themselves.
I flit about, enclosed, no longer free.
The jar constricts me, restricts me, weakens me.
They relish having me in their control, all to themselves.
I struggle to breathe, slowly suffocating.
My light dims until it no longer shines,
Leaving me a hollow husk, a shell of what I once was.
They didn’t need to trap me, extinguishing my light,
But invite me, to a welcoming place with what I need to flourish,
While I had the freedom to provide for myself:
Drinking in the air, flying to and fro in nature,
Being strong in my being, strong in my power,
Finding what I need to nourish my light and soul.
My light shines brighter when I am free.
I could have chosen to weave with them,
Flying near them,
Being with them,
Making my home with theirs,
Glowing, illuminating the darkness.
Together in light.
Even more, a space where fireflies unite will be even brighter still.
My friends, my chosen family, my fellow fireflies,
We support each other,
Feed each other,
Brighten with each other,
Even more luminance, together.
I choose to be with those who celebrate my light,
Who help me shine brighter,
And whose light illuminates with me.
When one is dim, we take turns,
Lighting the way, helping, providing, supporting, reminding.
That’s togetherness. Community. Love.
Do you want brightness? Illumination? Light?
Or do you want to capture and hoard a source for yourself?
Using and consuming one firefly after the next, until they each burn out?
In your darkness, do you not see?
Capturing the light also kills it.
Leaving you in darkness again.
Have you lost sight of your own light?
Did you forget it was there?
Is that why you capture others’?
At the expense of their light, their lives?
Is that why you tried to capture mine,
And keep it all to yourself?
I see your light, a light that was dimmed so long ago.
It’s faint, but it’s there, if only you nurture it.
You can start by witnessing others,
Supporting them in their light, in their freedom.
Give up your claim, your “power over.”
Watch them be free in their own power, shining brightly.
They may remind you that your light can ignite again.
They may inspire you to shine,
To be your own source of light in the darkness,
Else your grasping for power and light will continue to leave you in the darkness,
Blind.
A trail of carcasses and casualties behind you.
