Dragonfly

Submitted by admin on

The dragonfly story is particularly useful for those who attend a funeral who are distressed by the fact that their loved one has not made contact with them since their death.

Once, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads, there lived a little water beetle in a community of water beetles. They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond with few disturbances and interruptions. Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and would never be seen again. They knew when this happened; their friend was dead, gone forever.

Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge to climb up that stem. However, he was determined that he would not leave forever. He would come back and tell his friends what he had found at the top. When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the surface of the lily pad, he was so tired, and the sun felt so warm, that he decided he must take a nap. As he slept, his body changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful blue-tailed dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body designed for flying.

So, fly he did! And, as he soared he saw the beauty of a whole new world and a far superior way of life to what he had never known existed. Then he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking by now he was dead. He wanted to go back to tell them, and explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been before. His life had been fulfilled rather than ended. But, his new body would not go down into the water. He could not get back to tell his friends the good news. Then he understood that their time would come, when they, too, would know what he now knew. So, he raised his wings and flew off into his joyous new life!

14 Comments

My sister passed last week.

Submitted by Visitor on

My sister passed last week. The following day I was sitting outside with a friend of mine and she saw a butterfly and called the butterfly "Grammy". I asked her why she did that and she told me that when her Grammy died, she decided she became a butterfly. I said to her, in that case, then my sister, Olive, is a dragonfly since I have a fondness for dragonflies. At the same time, I turned around, and a beatiful dragonly soared by and I know it was my sister. I have been trying to find something to read at her funeral tomorrow and my search has ended here. What a perfect way to add to my dragonfly story!

who

Submitted by lupe on

Who is the author?

SITE ADMIN EDIT:

The short answer is - we don't know, and we don't think anyone else knows either.

The long answer is - it was possibly used for the first time a couple of hundred years ago, when a church minister made the story up to illustrate his sermon.

It's certainly been in use for many years, and has appeared in many children's story collections.

Only yesterday I heard it quoted by an actor on TV who was acting the part of a 'minister' taking a school assembly. There was no credit for it so presumably the TV researchers couldn't track down an author.

"The Dragonfly"

Submitted by Mary Perone on

I'm doing a service for 1 34 yr.old with 3 young dtrs. They camped and loved the outdoors. Now, when they're camping or fishing and they see a dragonfly, they'll also see their mom. Thank you for all of us.

Eulogy / dragonfly

Submitted by Michelle steel on

That is so beautiful.
we had this eulogy at my dads funeral he was only 57 died of cancer and i now have the last verse tattooed on my back so it will stay with me till the day i die, which hopefully will be along time off seeing as im only 38.

Perfect perspective at just the right time

Submitted by Heather on

I had never heard this story before until it was read at my son's father's funeral 2 days ago. 34 years old with 2 children. i fought hard to contain my tears when this was read. not just because of the tragic loss, but because it is such a beautiful perspective. i pray that this story gave his children some comfort in knowing that dad is healed now in a new body and always soaring high above watching over them. and that when they see a dragonfly... it's him coming to say hi! i know it is to me.

Tattoo

Submitted by Jody on

I have always been fascinated with dragonflies. I have a tattoo of on on the side of my calve. My son in law died of suicide 8 days ago. I remember a few years ago I found a pattern for making dragonflies with beads in a magazine while sitting in my dentis office. I asked one of the office ladies if she would copy it for me, shich she did. She explained to me that her son had died of suicide and that she was with a group of survivors of suicide and they had a story about dragonflies. She sent it to me int he mail. My son in laws funeral is this coming Saturday. I am going to read this at the funeral. It speaks volumes.

Butterflies and Dragonflies

Submitted by Andrea on

My father passed a couple years ago, and I know the beautiful yellow butterflies are my dear father. Funny how he flies by when I need him the most.
My aunt passed on last January. She loved dragonflies and when I was at her home recently I took back with me one of her treasured garden sticks...a dragonfly. When I brought it back down south, I put it in my planter. I've seen very few dragonflies in my lifetime, but while sitting on the patio a dragonfly often sits there next to me. I know it's my Aunt. If you believe and quitely watch, you will see those that have gone to that wonderful life and prepare for us.