Per Google, lightning in a bottle is an expression describing the rare, near-impossible feat of capturing a fleeting powerful or magical moment.

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One of my first memories from childhood is seeing fireflies in the backyard. My family lived on Louise Drive in Latham, New York and I was about 6 years old. It was a magical time.

I can remember my twin and I staring out the window late at night and watching their display with wonder and awe. It felt like they were putting on a lightshow just for us!

As a child, I was amazed by these small creatures that had such power within their little bodies to brighten the dark cover of night.

I thought if only I could capture some fireflies in a jar, then I, too, would have some of that magic.

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Did you know?

Fireflies are actually not considered flies at all. They are beetles. And they can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

They go through a complete metamorphosis just like butterflies. Eggs are laid in a moist ground and when they hatch, larva will emerge and crawl around for one to two years!!

Eventually, they will pupate and transform into adults. That process is similar to a butterfly’s chrysalis and takes a few weeks. Once the adult firefly emerges, it lives for about a month and only then does it possess the ability to light up its abdomen. Each firefly has a unique flash pattern. Its primary goal is to attract a compatible mate and reproduce to start the next cycle of fireflies.

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Today is the long-awaited first day of spring! It is a day full of promise and hope. Hope for warmer weather, hope for longer daylight hours and the awakening of nature from its extended slumber.

Coincidentally, the first day of spring is also the anniversary of my father’s passing. It’s been 31 years since I’ve felt his big bear hugs. 31 years of not being able to hear his voice. 31 years without seeing his smiling face.

I try not to dwell on the loss, however. I choose to honor his memory and celebrate the hope that this first day of spring carries with it, that of rebirth, renewal and reunification.

***

Mike had his 6-week follow-up with Dr. Doyle this past Monday. On physical exam, Dr. Doyle found overall improvement in the muscle tone of Mike’s left arm. He explained the process of Botox and, as we were told before, it’s sort of a learn-as-you-go type of thing. But he is very confident that Mike will see meaningful improvement in function over time. He still feels that continued administration of Botox will significantly benefit Mike. He will increase the dosage at the next appointment in May.

As spring is arriving, it is also like Mike is starting to emerge from his involuntary slumber over the last almost year. He is slowly building back his strength and endurance in walking. Rebuilding business connections with old customers who have sent over a few cars for him that are in the shop now.

He is focusing on walking heel to toe, achieving a smooth, easy gait with the straight cane. He will soon be able to walk down to his shop every day and be a presence there again and that will be a game-changer for him. He will no longer be confined to the house.

The wedding is fast-approaching and we are getting more and more excited! Mike is very trusting of my vision and has surrendered himself to it. Luckily, my crazy matches his crazy! A lot of it is a surprise for him, too. I can’t wait for you all to see it!

***

When you think about it, we are a lot like the firefly. I mean, aren’t we all attracted to the light we find when darkness strikes?

And as we outgrow the disillusionment that childhood offers, we discover that capturing fireflies in a jar is not practical nor logical and is actually just downright cruel.

But we can capture our own lightning in a bottle. After all, it happens every day just by regular people doing extraordinary things.

Think of the invention of the Internet or the cellphone. How life-changing has that been? And the miraculous way that the vaccine was developed for COVID so quickly (sorry, couldn’t resist) 😜

How about the U.S. Men’s Hockey team winning gold this Olympics!

And remember the 1980 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles? Mary Lou Retton won 5 medals, including the individual all-around gold medal in women’s gymnastics, just weeks after undergoing surgery for a torn cartilage in her knee! I can still see that amazing vault she landed on one leg!

There’s Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, running 100 meters in under 10 seconds… truly, like a bolt of lightning!

And I think of my very own twin sister who set her sights at 53 years old to run the Boston Marathon and did exactly that, qualifying with an incredible pace and fulfilling her dream. Accomplishing at that age something that most people cannot do even in their younger years.

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And then there’s Mike, 11 months post a devastating stroke that paralyzed his left side, now walking and adapting. Capturing the light with every step he takes and using it to guide his way through the darkest of moments.

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I can honestly say that my dad had a brightness about him that lit up every room he entered. That kind of light never truly dies. Its effect on those it touches forever leaves an indelible mark.

And just as the firefly reproduces to continue its species, we, too, carry the light for those who are no longer able to shine.

As an adult, I look back on those childhood days with fondness and bittersweet nostalgia, knowing now that the power of the light has always resided within me. It is how we choose to use it that reveals its magic.