Children Who Shine From Within

By: Rachel Macy Stafford

“What’s your favorite insect?” my seven-year-old daughter asked as we took an evening walk.

“You can’t pick butterfly. Everyone picks the butterfly,” she quickly added. “I guess mine would have to be a ladybug,” I finally answered.

“Mine’s a firefly. I love the firefly,” she said wistfully.

We kept walking. Talking. Enjoying the rare treat of alone time—just my younger daughter and me.

As she looked at me sadly, her previous words echoed in my head. “Everyone picks the butterfly,” she’d pointed out a moment ago.

“You mentioned that you love the firefly,” I reminded her.

“Well, I think you’re a lot like a firefly. You know why?” I asked.

“Because you shine from within,” I said touching my finger to her heart. “Not everybody sees it, but I do. I see it. And my job is to protect that light. So when people say mean comments that squelch that light, I want you to tell me. I will protect your light by listening and loving you, my brave, courageous, and unique little firefly.”

My daughter stepped forward and wrapped her arms around my neck.

As weeks have passed, I haven’t been able to stop thinking of our firefly talk and the timing of this message.

The end and the beginning of each school year can be hard for kids, especially the fireflies—those who shine from within.

And it’s that time — time for back-to-school outfits, team tryouts, classroom assessments, and after school clubs. The Butterflies will be noticed. So brilliant. So colorful. Their talents so obvious. But let us not forget the Fireflies. Their triumphs are quiet and unsuspecting. Their gifts might even go completely unnoticed.

A firefly might be a seat saver on the bus so someone doesn’t have to go to the intimidating back row.

A firefly might be a songwriter who pens music in his nightly dreams and hums away his days.

A firefly might be an artist that creates pictures you can feel with your soul.

A firefly might save his money for years just waiting for his heart to tell him, “That’s the one who needs your help.”

A firefly might stay up past bedtime calculating numbers beneath the covers because he was born a mathematician.

A firefly might be the I.T. kid of the school who jumps at the chance to help teachers with their computer woes.

A firefly might get lost in a cloud of flour, delighting in culinary arts.

A firefly might be a horseback rider finding peace in the company of animals and nature.

A firefly might devour a 357-page book in one sitting.

A firefly might have eyes for the lonely, looking for someone who wonders if she’s invisible.

A firefly might stick up for the lost, the rejected, and the alone.

A firefly might be the lost, the rejected, the alone … just waiting for someone to notice his light among all the bright, fluttering wings of the Butterflies.

MAYBE YOU KNOW A FIREFLY. MAYBE YOU LOVE A FIREFLY.

If you do, please don’t wait. Don’t wait for someone to hand him an award or a give her a certificate to make their talents and gifts “official.” That day may never come. So say it now.

Just you wait. Someday the world is going to see what I see. And your light will be so beautiful, so brilliant, and so bright that the world is going to stop and wonder where such a light comes from.

And you and I will both know that light, well, it’s been there all along.

Because you are a Firefly.

You shine from within.

And I am here to protect that light, my brave and courageous firefly

http://www.dailygood.org/2015/10/04/children-who-shine-from-within/ ■