Flying Isn't Always So Easy

During a recent run, I stopped at a coffee shop. When I walked past the drinking fountain, I noticed a dragonfly flailing in a shallow pool of water around the drain. He kept trying to move up the basin’s curved wall, but gravity and the slippery surface pulled him back down.

I watched him for a moment, assessing the situation. His body was so large, he should have been able to just wade out and take flight. But he couldn’t, even with such great effort. He was trapped.

I placed my finger underneath his body and gently nudged him in the direction he strained to go. I barely did a thing, only moved him a few millimeters up the wall.

But that slight push was enough.

The dragonfly flapped his wings, gained traction, and crawled out of the basin to the ledge. I stepped back and watched him take flight, eventually he disappeared into the trees.

I smiled at the sky.

The experience lasted only a few seconds, but it lifted my spirit for the rest of the day.

I imagine he would have made it out without my help.

But I’d like to think that my little nudge saved him.

Sometimes I feel like that dragonfly stuck in water, needing the same thing. A small boost. A tiny encouragement. A gentle push in the right direction, to a place where I can take off on my own.

We all probably have been there.

The water doesn’t have to be so deep to drown us, even the slightest bit can be enough to make it impossible to move. From the outside, it might not even look like a struggle. But a few millimeters can easily feel like a few miles, and a little lift goes a long way.

If you are a dragonfly in a drain right now, keep trying. Don’t give up.

If you’re not, look out for one. Pay attention. Resist the assumption he will find his way out on his own.

We all need a little nudge sometimes. Flying isn’t always so easy.