My dragonfly baby

I remember the day vividly in July of 2020 when I took a pregnancy test. I had a feeling that I might be expecting and decided that maybe I should take a test. My husband did not want me to take a test yet; he wanted to give it more time and not have me get my hopes up if it was negative.

Naturally, I waited for him to go to work and was so nervous that I placed a Drive-Up order at Target for a test and failed to mention it to my husband. He would find out eventually, right? I did not want to hear him tell me to wait or that it was too early to test. The entire drive to Target, I remember my mind swirling with the thought of what if I’m pregnant?

I noticed on my drive to Target that there was a dragonfly that seemed like it was following my car. It seemed to be riding alongside me and was fluttering all about keeping pace with my car. I remember when I pulled into the spot for my curbside order that the dragonfly was still around and circling my car. I couldn’t help but smile to myself and take it as a sign that this was going to be OK. I drove home trying to make casual small talk with my daughter and not tip my hand that mommy was severely freaking out.

Spoiler alert: I was pregnant. I think we all saw that one coming.

I remember looking down and thinking OK, this is really happening. Much like Steve Carell in The Office when his character Michael Scott is screaming for everyone, “Oh my God. OK. It’s happening. Everybody stay calm!” This quote is followed with hilarious obscenities while he’s trying to assure everyone to stay calm. I felt like Michael Scott at that moment.

Oh yeah, and I needed to make sure my husband knew I was pregnant.

I gathered my thoughts and started to wrap my mind around the idea of baby No. 2. (Keep in mind we were knee-deep in COVID craziness, so this was just one more thing to add to the list of chaos). I step outside for a breath of fresh air and walk over to my garden and there all around me is another dragonfly. I’d like to think it was the same one, but I know it wasn’t. I realize I have a garden that attracts a lot of them, but this was different. This dragonfly wanted me to see him. I smiled again and felt again comforted that perhaps it is really a sign from maybe my dad, God, or the Universe that this is all going to be OK.

I went back inside and told my little girl that we were going to stop by daddy’s work. I decided to go by Starbucks on the way and pick up my husband’s favorite drink and I asked for a pastry bag. I dropped the test into the pastry bag and showed up unannounced to my husband’s job. He thought his girls were just popping over to say hello, but upon looking in the bag, he quickly realized I had another reason for my visit.

Throughout my entire pregnancy and since, whenever there have been moments that I’ve been worried or having a tough time, without fail, I’m visited by a dragonfly. I call Pat my dragonfly baby. I’ve taken such a liking to dragonflies that I wanted to learn more about these little insects which have brought me such calm during chaotic times in my life.

Mary meeting her little dragonfly brother, Pat. (Photo provided by Megan Rathz)

Dragonflies are flying insects that have been around for millions of years with over 5,000 varieties. You will often find them by water. Some can live up to a year, but oftentimes they only survive a few weeks. Dragonflies greatly help keep a balance with mosquito control. Dragonflies lay their eggs in water, and when the larvae hatch, they stay there for up to a couple of years.

According to smithsonianmag.com, “Dragonflies are expert fliers. They can fly straight up and down, hover like a helicopter and even mate mid-air. If they can’t fly, they’ll starve because they only eat prey they catch while flying.”

In addition to their beauty, they’re intriguing insects that represent different things to various cultures. To me, they’re symbolic of calmness and a reminder that God has His hand on every situation in my life. They are a tangible sign of His presence and reassurance that everything will be OK.

Nature is speaking to us and affording us the opportunity to trust that things will end up being OK. Are you listening?

Megan Rathz is a wife, mother, and teacher. She says everything she has ever learned in life came from her Master Gardener mother.