Fireflies

It was so dark we couldn’t see our hands infront of our faces. There we stood, in a circle with our backs to one another and facing outward on the middle of “God only knows where” because we were blindfolded when the van drove us to a top secret location in the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

I love an adventure!

Seeing the fireflies in mass during their peak season was a bucket list item I was finally checking off. I’d love to show you pictures but it was impossible to capture. It was very dark and we were given strict rules about what "lights" we could use and there was certainly no flash photography. So, I’m left to my painting a picture with my words to try and help you “see” it. 

Our guides were passionate about protecting the natural habitat and educating us about it as well. Things like which leaves and berries were safe to eat and how to identify the different species and genders of fireflies. Different blinking patterns? Who knew? 

It was just past the peak season for seeing the familiar silent yellow blinking symphony in the woods but we were lucky because it was the blue ghost flies who were now showing. 

The what?

We had never heard of these and I suspect you haven’t either. But here we were, standing with strangers in the woods in a formation which, if you didn’t know better, would feel suspiciously sketchy. Awaiting an introduction. 

She said “If you stand still and let your eyes adjust, it will seem like they are coming towards you.”  So there were stood. Quiet and still. And then the magic happened. These beautiful blue lights that didn’t blink hovered around us in the darkness at eye level. I have to say it felt very much like being surrounded by gentle spirits. Almost like we got a peek for a few minutes of the angels we never see. And now I understood where stories of fairies could have been inspired. 

“Look!” I said to my daughter. “Where?” she asked. This was repeated multiple times and the joke is, we tried to point where to look but honest too goodness we couldn’t see where we were pointing because it was so dark. But the point is, we all saw them! And our excitement was hard to contain. 

It is what my daughter would call a “Core Memory” now. I’m so glad we made the journey. And even if I’m not at liberty to tell you exactly where we were, I can tell you who took us (Asheville Hiking Tours). And you can rest assured, you will be educated while leaving no trace behind and being respectful of nature. Tickets sell out fast and far in advance, so if you can grab some, don't hesitate.

This piece titled "Time in a Bottle" is inspired by my childhood memories.

We would spend summer nights chasing "lightning bugs" and later watching them blink as we fell asleep.