One of my favorite summer pastimes is sitting on our deck with a glass of wine and watching the night roll in. As darkness descends, pinpoints of flashing lights appear throughout the thick undergrowth of our yard.
It is lightning-bug season, and whenever I see these magical creatures I have to think God made them just for the heck of it.
Scientists have discovered medical uses for the chemicals that make these insects glow, and that’s great. Still, it’s hard to point at lightning bugs and say, “Well, see in the big scheme of things, they have these three purposes,” and then list them.
Sometimes we forget some things are purely for enjoyment. Really, what’s the purpose of ice cream, rainbows or chocolate? Serious pundits will say there are nutrients in dark chocolate that are really good for us, but, come on, who eats treats for health reasons?
To me, lightning bugs -- also known as fireflies -- prove that God has a sense of humor.
When you spot the first one of the season, it is cause for laughter and celebration. And when kids see these glittering creatures, they always shout and run after them.
A little research reveals that lightning bugs don’t pollinate flowers or devour mosquitoes or other annoying insects. And they haven’t been turned into food by the folks who favor eating, ugh, insects, at least not yet. They are, pure and simple, a joyful pleasure to behold.
What kid hasn’t captured a few fireflies at a picnic and put them in a jar? Or dropped them in plastic bags and strung them from a clothesline, simply to watch the glittering little stars blink on and off?
In my family, the kids were only allowed to keep lightning bugs in jars for a short time before my parents said we were being cruel, and insisted we let the bugs fly free again. But we were out searching for more the very next night.
Scientists postulate that the males flash their lights to attract the female bugs, which supposedly perch in trees, judging potential mates according to some mysterious standards. But any child could tell you these facts don’t matter much when you spot moving sparklers in the yard.
There are other examples in nature that suggest God has a sense of humor. Think about the duck-billed platypus, the lumbering manatee and the walrus. Sure, they all have some purpose in the big scheme of things, but it’s hard to look at them without giggling.
I think fireflies are reminders that we shouldn’t take the world so seriously. During sweltering summer nights especially, we should lighten up and enjoy God’s glorious creation.
Lorraine’s latest book is “Death of a Liturgist,” a fun-filled mystery about a layman who wreaks havoc at a small church in Decatur. She also is the author of a biography of Flannery O’Connor, “The Abbess of Andalusia,” and five other books. Her email address is lorrainevmurray@yahoo.com
