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Prisoner_Number_Six Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-21-09 11:36 PM
Original message
The Dance Of The Dragonflies- a true story
Earlier this week my girlfriend was out back walking her pup, when she happened upon a dragonfly that was tangled up in some tall grass and couldn't escape. She gently freed the tiny creature which promptly flew away as she and Rudy finished their walkies, thinking no more of it other than to mention it to me later on.

The next day, as they again went out to inspect Rudy's domain, they suddenly found themselves in a virtual cloud of dragonflies. The wee beasties stayed with Carol and Rudy for the entire duration of their walk, simply flying around them. Although there were other people out at the same time, the dragonflies ignored everyone other than Carol. When she and Rudy went back toward the breezeway door the dragonflies slowly flew away. They didn't come back today.

I'm convinced they came to her that second day to thank her for freeing their companion. Perhaps he (or she) was an important personage within their community, and they desired to convey their gratitude for her gentle action in the only way they knew.

There are no coincidences. Of this I am now convinced.
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Flaxbee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-21-09 11:44 PM
Response to Original message
1. Really lovely story, thank you.
Everything is sentient; humans are so incredibly arrogant to think we're the only ones with any real awareness and social structure.

What does Carol think? Rudy? :)
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Prisoner_Number_Six Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-21-09 11:56 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. They agree.
They felt it close up.
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CaliforniaPeggy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-21-09 11:47 PM
Response to Original message
2. My dear Prisoner_Number_Six...
What a beautiful story!

And I too do not doubt why they did that...

She is one special lady, your girlfriend...

:hug:
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AllenVanAllen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 02:04 AM
Response to Original message
4. Very cool story!



"There are no coincidences."









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SeattleGirl Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 02:17 AM
Response to Original message
5. What a wonderful story.
:hi:

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kentauros Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 04:55 AM
Response to Original message
6. That's a beautiful story
and such a beautiful thing to have happened. And good for her for rescuing the first one :D

If you're interested, here's a little site on dragonfly symbolism. :)
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MorningGlow Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 09:02 AM
Response to Original message
7. No coincidences--no indeed
That was a very nice thing your girlfriend did, Prisoner. The dragonflies won't forget it. They're very wonderful creatures--okay, I'm biased, but they are! :hi:
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rosesaylavee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 10:31 AM
Response to Original message
8. Very cool.
Thank you for posting this!
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Blue Diadem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 11:18 AM
Response to Original message
9. They're beautiful insects. I have experienced one thanking me after
rescuing him/her from a siding spider web outside my back door. After pulling off the remaining web it was finally able to fly. It stopped, looked right in my face, even turning its head as if to say thank you, and then it flew away. It really was a wonderful feeling and I have looked at dragonflies in an entirely different way since then.

Carol had a such a beautiful experience being surrounded by so many showing their appreciation. Please tell her thank you from me too, not only for saving the beautiful creature, but for confirming that they are indeed capable of showing their feelings.



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astral Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-23-09 01:36 AM
Response to Reply #9
25. Wow.
We had those big ones around in the summer when I was a kid, and although I always thought they were beautiful, I didn't know if they were something to be scared of so I was always kind of leery of them. They would OFTEN pause in flight and hover in front of my face from about 3 to 5 feet away, as if they were checking me out.

Turns out they were just saying, "Hello" and "G'Day!" after all ! : )
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I Have A Dream Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 11:20 AM
Response to Original message
10. Error: You can't recommend threads from this forum.
Darn. x(

;)

Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful story with us, PNS. What a wonderful experience for your girlfriend to have.

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suninvited Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 11:49 AM
Response to Original message
11. wow, what a terrific story
it made me get goose bumps!
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get the red out Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 01:28 PM
Response to Original message
12. Totally wonderful
I love this story.

Thank you for sharing it.
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AllenVanAllen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 04:54 PM
Response to Original message
13. The Universe never forgets kindness
Edited on Sat Aug-22-09 04:55 PM by AllenVanAllen

I want to share a story that happened to me today. I went to the store to pick up a few things and on the way I stopped at a Jack in the Box drive-thru to get some lunch. As I was waiting in I saw a "brown stink bug" missing one of it's legs stuck in the drive-thru's window pane. I could see him trying as hard as he could to get loose but he just couldn't. Once I got my order I reached in the bag for a napkin and used it to gently scoop him up. Once I got to the store took him over to the edge of the parking lot and let him go. He opened his wings and flew into the woods next to the store. That made me smile. On the walk back to the store I looked down, and there was a $20 bill on the ground. I looked around to see if anyone had dropped it but didn't see anyone, so I picked it up and used it. It covered everything I needed. The two events may be unrelated but I thought it was cool nevertheless.
Whether it's a stink bug, dragonfly or person, kindness is never lost or forgotten. :)





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Prisoner_Number_Six Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 05:03 PM
Response to Reply #13
14. That was courage rewarded indeed.
Well done!
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AllenVanAllen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 05:31 PM
Response to Reply #14
19. Thanks!



I didn't want to get "stinked" by the little fella' either!



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I Have A Dream Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 05:21 PM
Response to Reply #13
15. What a great story! Thank you for sharing it here as well...
and thank you for helping one of the not-so-pretty beings of the Earth.

:D

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AllenVanAllen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 05:32 PM
Response to Reply #15
20. Thanks!



If I was a bug I'd want some compassion too! :hi:



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The Velveteen Ocelot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 05:24 PM
Response to Reply #13
17. Ahimsa is a wonderful thing.
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AllenVanAllen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 05:36 PM
Response to Reply #17
21. I try to do what I can.



:hi:


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GoddessOfGuinness Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-23-09 01:50 AM
Response to Reply #13
27. Awww...
You collected some good bug karma!

Great story! :hug:
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The Velveteen Ocelot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 05:22 PM
Response to Original message
16. Awesome.
I do like dragonflies, and now I have more reasons.
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S n o w b a l l Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 05:25 PM
Response to Original message
18. I believe...
what a cool story and experience.
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Delphinus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 07:32 PM
Response to Original message
22. So glad I came here to read this.
It makes my heart smile - thank you.
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BelleCarolinaPeridot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 10:11 PM
Response to Original message
23. Cool story. That story made my evening.
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LeftyFingerPop Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-22-09 10:15 PM
Response to Original message
24. This is a very beautiful story...
Thank you for sharing.
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GoddessOfGuinness Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-23-09 01:49 AM
Response to Original message
26. Beautiful!
I love dragonflies! Thanks for the great story! :loveya:
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NNadir Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-23-09 02:27 AM
Response to Original message
28. I don't want to rain on the parade but there is an alternate explanation.
Edited on Sun Aug-23-09 02:37 AM by NNadir
Most insects and arthropods are very sensitive to highly specific molecules known as pheromones, which often drive their behavior.

This is precisely the mechanism that ants, for instance, use to follow ant trails, their paths looking to humans like "design." The literally leave trails of odor behind them, for which they have very specific senses of smell.

Most pheromones are highly hydrophobic molecules and not all that soluble in water. They are designed, in fact, to not wash off.

It is very possible that your girlfriend's act resulted in the transfer of pheromones that draw other dragonflies.

It may not be anything like love and appreciation.

I hope this somewhat more prosaic explanation doesn't ruin the charm of the situation.
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hedgehog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-23-09 11:53 AM
Response to Reply #28
29. I say the first dragon fly tagged her with good guy pheromones
so the others could find her.
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BlancheSplanchnik Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-23-09 01:02 PM
Response to Original message
30. LOVE this story!
I love stories like this; I have a few of my own. :loveya:
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NJCher Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Aug-24-09 09:38 PM
Response to Original message
31. very sweet story
I like it because it shows kindness and sensitivity to other living creatures.

I have one to share, too.

In the summers I used to avoid the heat and humidity and go to a mountain place in north Jersey. There is a state park there on the side of a mountain. Everyday I would hike up that mountain and run down it. It is the highest point in NJ.

I would do this every single day, never missing my exercise.

One afternoon I got a late start and when I headed back down the mountain, it was dark. There are intersecting trails and I was starting to worry I might take the wrong one and end up lost in the trails by myself.

Almost on cue, lightning bugs illuminated the trail and did so for the remainder of the way down the mountain. I could see the stone wall which characterized the right trail for my return, thanks to the lightening bugs.

And it wasn't just the lightening bugs accompanying me. There were little squirrels and chippies running along the wall with me. I felt like I was in a Disney movie!

To this day I can see the night trails being illuminated by the lightening bugs. It was one of the most special experiences of my life.


Cher
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winyanstaz Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-25-09 01:57 AM
Response to Original message
32. Very nice...thank you for sharing. :)
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lightningandsnow Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-25-09 03:25 AM
Response to Original message
33. Aww, that's so cool!
I like to think that kindness is always rewarded.

:hug:
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OneGrassRoot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-25-09 04:47 AM
Response to Original message
34. Goosebumps....

Thanks for sharing that uber cool story to start my day with a smile. :)

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Patiod Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-25-09 11:30 AM
Response to Original message
35. Well, crows know Good Guys from Bad Guys by face
so who knows.

Great story!
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redqueen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Aug-25-09 11:36 AM
Response to Original message
36. Awww... what a nice story.
Thank you for sharing it. :)
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