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Emerald

Hmmm, did that mystery Emerald pose so obligingly for my camera just to frustrate the daylights out of me? Or, could it be, it was placed in that precise spot to bestow upon me gems of wisdom I needed to acquire?

No, I wasn’t mining for precious gems. The Emerald in question (pictured above) is a dragonfly in the Emerald family. Emeralds get their name from their green jewel-like eyes which make them particularly photogenic.

This particular jewel of nature frustrates me because I haven’t been able to figure out which of the 49 species of Emeralds in North America, 19 of which occur in Ontario, it is. But in the process I’ve been gifted with several gems of wisdom that apply in the bigger scheme of things.

I made a snap identification when I first saw this Emerald. “Another American Emerald. No need to look further.” I was eager to move on to the other dragonflies awaiting me further down the trail.

Later, when I downloaded the day’s photos to my computer, I realized that snap identification was wrong. I hadn’t paid enough attention at the time to identify other field marks that would allow me to correct that mistake.

Emerald of Wisdom: Give to each moment the time and attention it deserves. If you rush on ahead, the wisdom embodied in the moment may be lost.

Several times I’ve lamented: “If only I’d taken the time to get a side view!” The pattern of spots and stripes on an Emerald’s thorax can be diagnostic.

Emerald of Wisdom: Always view things in their full perspective. Decisions made without seeing the whole picture are often a fool’s folly.

The differences between this particular Emerald, and the American Emerald I rashly assumed it to be, are quite subtle. Looking at the photo now, I realize that those subtleties are what make this particular Emerald elegant in its own right.

Emerald of Wisdom: Go slowly through life. Take the time to indulge in the minutia for it is there that some of life’s most exquisite moments are to be found.

This mystery Emerald has become for me a metaphor for patience, for living in the moment and for treasuring the little subtleties of our wonderfully diverse world.

Somewhere down the line I will probably see another specimen of this particular Emerald. Hopefully, when that happens, I’ll take the time to properly appreciate it. One thing is certain. The emeralds of wisdom, which this mystery Emerald has taught me, make it the most precious of the many dragonflies I saw that day.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of “Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel” – double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog.

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Tags:   dragonfly · emerald · metaphor · Michael Robert Dyet · patience · wisdom1 Comment