Beware The Dragonfly

08 October 2012

You know how dragonflies usually zip away when you come too close? This one did fly away, but it kept coming back, and then it stayed.

I don't know why it stuck around for so long. I'd just pruned back the lavender where it was perched - maybe it was soaking up lavender essence. What a lovely thought. Or maybe it was just tired. Or dreaming.

But the amazing thing was to see a dragonfly tongue at work! Have you ever seen one? It was very tiny, and nearly transparent, and edged with black - much like its wings. Tired or not, that tongue was busy, and fast!

I'd never thought about a dragonfly tongue before.

It reminded me how many amazing things there are in this world that I might never notice.

When I do notice something as perfectly wonderful as the engineering of a dragonfly tongue, I'm reminded once again how the artist's job is to render the unseen and make it visible in a meaningful way.

So I'd best pay attention. There is extraordinary design everywhere.

Julia O'Reilly