Only when I see the fireflies

Blinking on and off in the twilight,

Do I see the glitches in the silkscreen of what we call as reality,

A peek behind the mirage of the illusion that 

We all live individual separate lives.

How can we take the existence so for granted?

How can we so badly underestimate 

The subtle energies of the stars

Which mingle with the powers of the earth 

To bring forth the great diverse expanse

Of life on this planet?

When I see the fireflies quietly blinking on and off,

Suddenly I see you as the complete system you are:

The minerals that have gathered magnetically around you,

The chemistry of complicated reactions,

The electrical charges at work while you are simply breathing,

The fire that burns within your belly

That began long before your conception,

Before your parents ever met.

You are a delicate ecosystem

Brought forth by the orchestra of the universe

And the subsequent light show ever shining forth.

You are my sister, my brother,

Along with all the herds of animals,

The hordes of insects and microbes,

The groves of trees and plant life abundant,

The race called humanity dwelling here together.

We are the fruit of this earth,

Sprouted out  like miracles

From the seeds of life,

The rain of worship,

The light from the sun

And every beautiful star that shines in the galaxy and beyond,

All blending to form this unique opportunity 

For us to live together now

And relish the adventure that this experience offers us.

But it is only when I see the fireflies,

Like gracious dancing ballerinas 

That twirl their glow sticks in the twilight,

That I get a relieving glimpse

Of the truth of life from beyond the veil.

-jenn