Catching Lightning Bugs

I came into the kitchen tonight. Looking out the bay window I saw an all familiar sight. There were scores of lightning bugs in the backyard.

My mind reeled back 40+ years. There we were with jars with tops filled with holes put there by our Dad' screwdriver. We ran throughout the neighborhood on those warm summer evenings catching fireflies!

There was no concern by our parents that they could not see us. Kids were safe back then. We were covered with the dirt and sweat of a day's activities outside. We poured onto our streets back then and played ball with chalk drawn bases.

At nightfall we went after the little bugs. It was a great way to end those summers of wonder growing up in the suburbs. We never got tired of these activities. We just got old and busy and when we see kids talking on their cell phones we want to say, "You don't know what fun you are missing!"