Story of the Dragonfly

Diane Spotted Elk's Wisdom of the Dragonfly

“In the early stages of my grief, I received a sympathy card from a friend that Alex had met along his travels. It was a story of the dragonfly’s life and how they transform from a beetle to a dragonfly.

I had not thought about the story until one day, as I was on the hill sitting with my thoughts and grief, I found peace in the hills where all my relatives are laid to rest in eternal rest. One day, as I was wishing things were different regarding the loss of my son, a dragonfly appeared to me, then another, until many appeared.

Without words, but with a sense that it was there to comfort me and remind me that my son has transitioned peacefully and that I can trust Maheo’o in his plan for his next journey.

Just as a dragonfly, born at the bottom of ponds and waterways without knowing it, transforms and flies above the water into a beautiful creature.

While at the bottom of ponds, they are unaware of what is beyond the water; they see light and often wonder what it must be like. They promise to return to share what they see and experience, but once they transform, they cannot return to the bottom of the pond. This gave me understanding, peace, and comfort. I now see dragonflies differently.”

- DIANE SPOTTED ELK, NORTHERN CHEYNNE ELDER

The Dragonfly

Poem shared by Diane Spotted Elk, Northern Cheyenne Tribal Elder

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 the lily pad and would never be seen again. They knew that when this happened, their friend was dead, gone forever.

Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge to climb 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 ever known existed.

And 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!

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