By Judy McNutt

If you love Dragonflies, you must read this.

Late Fall is my favorite time of the year. Magic is in the air! Time for mulled wine, burning leaves, deep dark nights, soups, stews, and a story or two. But the Dragonflies have all gone Home. Read on.

Years ago, my job as program director of a radio station ended suddenly when the company changed hands. I had no idea what lay ahead for my family and myself. I felt frozen with fear, and my feet were to the fire. My head constructed fear-based extremes. "We're going to have to leave Colorado. I won't find another radio gig here. We just found a church we like. The kids will have to leave school and their friends."

NOT. HELPING.

Where else does a single mother, pretty much on her own, turn for solace and renewal in Colorado but to Nature? So the morning after I got laid off, I left the kiddos next door to play with my neighbor's two children, and I headed out to the lake to process all the thoughts and feels. I hoped I would walk into an improved attitude. I'd jammed a tiny notebook and pen into my pocket, just in case. But I certainly couldn't imagine writing anything from this headspace.

I rolled to a stop in the parking lot surrounded by Ponderosa and Spruce. Their astringent fragrance, typically uplifting, made me heartsick. I would miss this. I sat and sobbed alone in my car until I felt able to push the door open and step out. 

Maybe you can relate to this?

I was so held under by fear and pain…

…I barely noticed the sun warming my skin. I didn't remember walking to the lake, but I sat down on a rock beneath Siberian elms, oak, and linden trees near its marshy edge. I tugged my notebook from my pocket and stared into space.

Time passed.

Have you ever felt as though you were taking a deep breath for the first time in weeks? Eyes closed, I breathed in the Colorado sunshine, finally feeling the sun sink into my bones.

I lifted into the presence of this shining moment.

Time passed.

Something buzzed my ear, and I opened my eyes just in time to see a beautiful iridescent dragonfly zoom off to land at the water’s edge. Her wings stilled.

I held my breath. It was as though I too sipped the brackish waters of the marsh. She made a sudden jump to dry her feet in the grass and then fluttered into the air. It appeared as though she didn't know where to go next.

My spiritual and emotional connection with Dragonfly…

…held fast to her slender body and invisible wings. Imagine this delicate creature, doing what comes naturally, taking care of business, enjoying the day when suddenly, she feels disoriented, doesn't know where to turn. So she flys in crazy patterns for a while, then settles down in the sun to gather energy.

"I see you are me," I said. "I know how you feel," I whispered to The Dragonfly.

I reveled in the breezes and kept an eye on Dragonfly as she buzzed with vitality, nourishing and soothing her being in the park's trees, grasses, and wildflowers. I filled the pages of my palm-sized notebook, nourishing my brain, transforming my thoughts and emotions with what I knew about Dragonflies from school. I noted her habits and behaviors and mused about her mystical connection in the space between the physical and Spiritual Realm, her true Home. 

On that day, Dragonfly healed my Spirit, and my Secret Mission was revealed. 

"My mission and magic are strong, but whenever I feel a bit lost, I can always find my way home."

"Dear Little Sister," I wrote in a letter to The Queen of Dragonflies. This experience was the genesis of my Soul Connection with Dragonfly. Short years later, I studied with a Shaman and learned my connection with Dragonfly was no accident:

"Dragonfly symbolizes change, transformation, adaptability, and self-realization. This change is sourced in mental and emotional maturity and in understanding the deeper meaning of life." (And so much more!)

Are you a Visioneer on a Secret Mission?

If this story stirs something deep within you, you just might have a bit of Dragonfly in your soul. If you love Dragonflies, you must take Judy's quiz and discover whether or not you too are a Visioneer, because if you are, you may be on a secret mission, too!

Judy McNutt is an authorship mentor for online coaches and heart-centered women who long to leave a legacy. Clients enjoy live writing sessions with their peers and guidance to get a book written and published. Connect with Judy online at IgnitingYourWriting.com.