The Red Dragonfly

I am still in awe of our close encounter with the Red Dragonfly.

It was a beautiful late Autumn day in the Pacific Northwest. The glorious sunshine made it seem warmer than what the temperature actually was. Rain and cold are expected at that time of year and we knew that our outdoor walking time would soon become limited. Dressed for the weather, we went for our walk in “our backyard” — in the parks and around the lake.

Visiting Leo’s Pine Tree is always included in our walk.

His bench across from the tree is very popular and we don’t usually get to sit there. I believe the positive energy, in addition to the amazing scenery of that sacred space, is magnetic. It attracts people who want to sit there and experience the serenity.

I sat on the bench, feeling very relaxed, when suddenly CK pointed at my knee. It took me a while to realize what it was. I have never seen a red dragonfly and had never had any kind of dragonfly in such close proximity. I thought it looked huge on my knee. It had spherical black eyes on its head and a long red tail. I kept staring at this luminous creature with its iridescent, gossamer wings that sparkled like gold in the sunlight. The pictures I took don’t do it justice.

It was sitting on my knee comfortably. I was astonished it didn’t fly away as I fumbled to get my phone out of my bag. When I finally did, I took a picture.

The dragonfly flew away when I finished. Then it came back. I took another picture, and it flew away again. This went on for some time. It would come back, I would take a picture, and it would fly away. Perhaps the clicking sound from the phone was too loud for it. It happened six times as CK counted. I was so thrilled. We were both aware that this was not random. Leo had sent us this unusual messenger. He often uses different ways to tell us that he is present when we are sitting on that bench and visiting his tree.

I have written about the planting of Leo’s two trees in my book and this one is situated in our hometown. The young tree was planted on a chilly November day eight years ago. It was all surreal for me then. Thanks to the pictures, taken that morning by a friend, I was able to review the scene later. I felt the presence of the Divine when I saw the magical orbs of bright colours on the young tree and around the people attending the ceremony.

I have always known that the dragonfly is a symbol of transformation, but there was more to learn. When I got home, I looked up the spiritual meaning of dragonfly, but instead, the symbolism of the red dragonfly came up. It is a sign of good luck! Surely, red and gold are happy colours that most cultures include in celebrations like Christmas, weddings, and the Chinese New Year.

Here is what I found: “The Japanese consider red dragonflies to be ‘very sacred,’ offering a symbol of courage, strength and happiness. American Indians believe red dragonflies can ‘bring a time of rejuvenation after a long period of trials and hardship.’”

The Dragonfly Times website sums it up: “Life is not what it appears to be. The red dragonfly says we must see through the illusions in life, for then we can make this great transformation while still in body and life, before death. If we can lighten our load and evolve into the vibration of light in the body, then we will find the ability to adapt, bend, flow, change, shapeshift, transform and fly — now.”

Another beautiful gift and message from our Leo:

“Life and death are not what they appear to be. It is for us to change and grow while we are here in the physical. There is a lot of work to do. Don’t wait. We hold the power to transform the Collective Consciousness within us.”

Our precious Leo, how can we ever thank you enough for your compassion and wisdom?  We love this stunning sign and synchronicity.

In the following days, CK and I contemplated on this enchanting encounter with the red dragonfly. He reminded me of something very significant. He is well versed in the Chinese classics and has a good memory. In the old days when children wrote to their parents, the letter would start with a greeting which closely translates into: “At the knees of my father/mother.” This signifies a son or daughter’s respect for their parents.

Of all the places the dragonfly could have landed, it sat right on my knee and stayed there for a long time. It was a magical visit for the three of us, CK, Leo, and myself. My heartfelt thanks to our dearest son for this unforgettable experience, and all the profound messages we have received!

Miracles and Magic happen at Leo’s trees. We are always open to receiving them. There is another incident worth writing about. It took place at the tree on the last International Bereaved Mother’s Day. It is always the first Sunday in May, a week before Mother’s Day.

There had been a lot of rain, and with the warmer weather, the grass around Leo’s tree grew wildly. It was so tall that the plaque under it couldn’t be seen from the bench. I had reminded CK to go and trim the overgrown grass. That Sunday, he took the shears and we walked to the tree to do the trimming. I stood around while he crouched onto the ground to work. It’s a public park and there were people walking by. A young family appeared. The mom was pushing a stroller and the dad had a young child near him. I knew the man was wondering what CK was doing. So I walked over and started talking with him. I shared about our son and his memorial tree. The man was very interested and asked me for my son’s name. I showed him the plaque and said “Leo.”  He pointed towards his little boy and said, “His name is Leo.” There is no coincidence.

The two-year-old boy was wearing a blue raincoat with a matching hat. He had a toy truck in his hands, and he was walking around Leo’s tree. He played on his own, giving me and his dad time to chat. He was very well-behaved. His mom kept an eye on him and was occupied with checking their baby in the stroller. I thanked them for their visit at the tree and they moved on.

As they walked away, I watched their backs from afar and wished their kids a happy and long life.

One thing I know for certain is that they will be protected from the fatal meningococcal disease that took my son’s human life. Leo is still saving lives, and young lives, now that the vaccine we have advocated for is included in the standard inoculation program for all grade 9 students in British Columbia, Canada.

Then, CK and I went around the lake for our walk. We were near an area close to the waters where there were a lot of shorter plants. My husband’s ears are well attuned to the vibration of hummingbirds and instantly he saw one perched atop one of the plants. We were quite surprised because the hummingbirds we see outdoors are always on the highest point of treetops.

I could almost hear Leo say, “Mom, we are together today, and every day, and it doesn’t matter what name they give it. How did you like having little Leo and his family at my tree? The three of us are still a family.”

As CK and I were walking home, I pointed up to the sky and said, “Look! Angel clouds!” We were visited by an angel.

We went back several times to check if that hummingbird had returned to the particular spot, but never saw it again. CK was right when he commented, “It was a special messenger our son sent you for that day.”

My heart overflows with gratitude. We miss you, Son. We are grateful for the beautiful messengers and the profound messages. There is no separation when there is LOVE!!!