What notable things happened today?

I know fireflies don’t dance, but their lights are signals — like when bees wiggle to tell other bees how to get to a flower.

As a kid, I loved going into my grandparent’s yard during summer vacation. Coated with whatever mosquito repellent my grandma had in the house, I would wander all over their yard on a quest to catch fireflies in my hands.

I’d often slowly open my hands, peeking inside to see the fluorescent green glow reflect onto my skin, making it look radioactive. Well, at least how comics portray radioactive skin.

Sometimes, the firefly immediately flew away. Other times, it rested for a bit and crawled on my hand. It would blink a few times as I slowly moved my hand so it wouldn’t fall. Then it would take flight again.

It was magic.

I taught my siblings and eventually my kids how to catch fireflies. My kids didn’t seem to care much about the fireflies. They’re into sticks and rocks.

I haven’t actively looked for fireflies in a while. Then this summer I began noticing them. How playful they seem. How they do something so cool.

Taking time to do things that bring a smile to your face can be hard. We are easily buried in our digital world, work, etc., that we forget to stop to take things in.

A firefly’s glow reminds me to focus on what’s in front of me, not what’s distracting me. It helps me focus on real things, not the pixelated world I immerse myself in.