Fireflies
Did you ever sit in your garden on a warm summer night, staring out into space, dreaming? The sky above looks like rich black velvet interspersed by twinkling diamonds. The moon smiles contentedly out on that beautiful night. The breeze rustles gently through the leaves of the barren quince tree that provides shade during the summer yet never produced a single quince? The crickets softly serenade you. The fireflies dance by in a graceful minuet to their gentle music.
You smile to yourself and remember other summer nights when your soulmate sat beside you, dreaming the same beautiful dreams as you. You spoke softly to each other, holding hands as you gently swung back and forth on the jelala that is situated beneath the dogwood tree. He had bought it those so many years ago. He is no longer here, but the jelala is. I look up at the moon once more. I wear a sad smile upon my face.
“Don’t worry,” the moon assures me. “He is up here looking down and smiling fondly at you.”
His words make me smile. I no longer feel as alone. I lean back and close my eyes. The breeze brushes my face. The crickets sing a gentle song. The perfume of the flowers in the garden wrap me in a heady comforting embrace. I blink the tears from my eyes The fireflies have drawn closer. They seem to embrace me. I do not feel as alone. I look about me at the gifts of nature in this garden and I think all is well, all is well. My love has passed away, but he remains in my heart, and one day, one day we will be reunited once more.