SEEING THE LIGHT

The time of fireflies is long over in these parts, so like anyone else who lives in even a small way for such things I was amazed a few nights ago, during a step out onto the deck for a look at the clear summer stars, to see a star down there in the grass.

At first I thought it might just be my eyes, still holding fast to the image of a bright star, or perhaps it was an ember of my wish to see the light at last, but no, it insisted, it blinked slowly, it was really down there. Same color as a firefly, but just one, not a bunch of them sparking here and there as it is with the little flying lanterns. Also, it was larger and slower, and didn't fly, just moved slowly through the grass, at least while I watched whatever it was.

I've never seen such a thing, and at first was tempted to get a flashlight and go down there to find out what it was, but I knew that my brightlight approach on heavy footfalls while parting the grass here and there would quench that little star, so I just observed from where I was as the blinker moved on through the grass and then turned itself off for the rest of the time I watched.

A couple of nights later, not thinking of the light, which I understand is one of the better ways of seeing the light, I was out on the deck again as part of the star theater audience and noticed the same star shining in the immediate dark, but this time partway up on one of the stalks of the mountain bamboo. The light wasn't blinking in any pattern, just ons and offs of random lengths, and again, there was only one. I still don't know what it was, and haven't seen it since.

I hear that's often the way with enlightenment.

FLYFIRE

Tonight we chased a sliver of a moongrin across the big bridge over the Lake to take Kaya (2 1/2 years old now) to a famed hotaru (firefly) stream far through the soothing dark of narrow village roads sparked here and there with houselights all the way to the path lit by tiny lights that could not be mistaken for fireflies but were just enough to get you safely to the steps down through the deep dark to the firefly kingdom along the stream in its place beneath the tall trees, where the even deeper darkness was lit like a microstarry night with nothing but wisping flights of limegreen, surprisingly bright flashes rising, swooping, curving, softly floating, flitting here and there going on and off, sparkles resting in their hundreds on the leaves or falling sudden to the ground, kids, mothers, fathers and grandfolks trying to coax the little green stars to their hands, everyone glowing with the mysterious green fire that reflected in the eyes, the faces lit with awe and Kaya too was wide-eyed watching light walk in her hand