The Dragonfly Door

We recently have experienced a great loss in our family.  My father in law lost his battle with cancer and passed away last Sunday.  He was a great man, wonderful father and amazing Pop to our children.

As we sat next to his bed on Sunday, holding his hand as he took his last breaths, we saw two dragonfly's come right to the window next to his bed.  We all took comfort in this peaceful reminder.  We hadn't seen any flying insects of any kind throughout the days we had been there but at that fleeting moment, as he was taking his last breaths, these beautiful symbols of life were there to comfort us.

For those of you unfamiliar with the symbolism of the dragonfly here is a great story:

Dragonfly

The Dragonfly story is one of the best poems for funerals involving children as it explains in simple terms the Christian hope of life after 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!

There are several great books also explaining death using the dragonfly as a symbol of comfort and faith.  A family member bought the kids two books, "The Secret of the dragonfly, a story of hope and promise" and "The Dragonfly door".  I have read both of these books to the kids (through many tears) and they are a great help during this time of mourning their Pop. 

I made my niece and my daughter their own dragonfly toy and I can only hope it will continue to be a source of comfort for them. 

Anastasia with her new dragonfly

Gloria with her new dragonfly

Send me off with love

And please don't cry

It's my time to become

Like a dragonfly

Our wonderful memories

Are tucked in your heart

Though now you can't see me

We are never apart.

Love,

POP