The Dragonfly Gals

A [swarm] of three [dragonflies] is not easily [dispersed].” ~Proverb

We were home (in Iowa) briefly before heading back north to squeeze out one last week of summer vacation in the north woods of Wisconsin. We’ve spent most of June and July already in the woods, and while up here, much has been in transition. Most notably, I accepted a new position at a new church. When summer is over, I will have a final Sunday at Edwards United Church of Christ and a first Sunday at Saint Paul Lutheran.

Throughout this transitory summer, I’ve been in almost daily contact with two of my closest clergy friends. On a lighthearted level, we talk fashion. Two of us have committed to wearing less black, a go to minimalist preference for intense types like us. The other friend has been a wardrobe guide to both of us, encouraging us to dress more in line with our personalities.

It’s summer, so my outfits have increasingly turned to cut off shorts and tee shirts with clever sayings, but I too have enjoyed mixing things up and adding more color to my repertoire. In the midst of our lighthearted video chats on clothing and accessories, deeper matters often surface. Everything from exegesis to intuitive sensitivity to family systems theory. (Hey, we are pastors.) When I knew we’d be home just a couple days, I seized an opportunity to arrange a wine date for the three of us. “I’m sure it will just be an hour or two,” I told John, when I left the house at 7pm. I got home at 10:30, so obviously, that was a lie.

At our “wine night,” conversation picked up right where the video chats left off. Before we all left the wine and tea lounge, my fellow black clothing-favoring-friend gifted us with a leather wrist cuff, beautifully etched with a dragonfly. Each one was distinct. We quickly put them on and I of course, snapped a picture.

The oft-quoted proverb from the book of Ecclesiastes goes: “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken…” I wholeheartedly agree. Having one friend is perfect; totally sufficient. But three, in some ways, is even better. Sometimes I learn things about an old friend when a new one asks a question I wouldn’t have thought to ask.

My friends and I are all in seasons of transition right now. We are leaning on our faith and friendships to power us through the unknown. The dragonfly is a perfect totem for our friendship.

As I wrote this, I was curious what a group of dragonflies was called. Not surprisingly, like other insects, they’re called a “swarm.” And when I think of a swarm, I think of a gathering of small but mighty creatures; a force to be reckoned with. I learned something, though. A “swarm” of dragonflies is also a gathering of hungry insects who are feeding in the same spot. I like both of these definitions because they reflect some simple truths of life. That we are more of a force to be reckoned with when we’re not alone and we can “feast” on the holy together, encouraging others to the swarm and to the harvest.

Thanks for Reading.