When the Light Shifts

We were deep in the woods of a national park—my husband on a mountain bike trail, me following my own slower path, no destination but stillness. As I wandered, journal in hand, I came across a sun-drenched patch of tall grass. That’s when I saw them—two dark-winged dragonflies dancing in and out of the light.

At first glance, they were almost easy to miss—wings so dark they disappeared into the shadows. But when the sunlight hit just right, a thin line of iridescent gold shimmered at the edge. It stopped me in my tracks. I stood still, completely still, and watched as they hovered, lifted, returned again and again to the same blades of grass—unbothered by my presence.

We stayed like that for twenty minutes: me quietly inching closer, them holding their ground, the shimmer appearing with the movement of the breeze and only when the light allowed.

In this still quiet space I realized: Some beauty only reveals itself when we stop chasing and start noticing.

This experience boosted my curiosity—so I looked deeper. Dragonflies, I learned, have four wings, not two. All four work independently, giving them incredible control in flight. The dark brown markings I saw weren’t separate “inner” wings—they were simply pigmented patches that overlay transparent wings. The shimmer of gold wasn’t painted on—it was revealed by light, refracting through the clear membrane and catching the sun at just the right angle.

In fact, that gold glow wasn’t always visible. It required stillness. Presence. The right perspective. A shift in how I stood in relation to the light.

And that’s when the metaphor landed:

A note from my journal:

We live in a world that asks for speed, for certainty, for constant motion. But there are layers to who we are—real, golden, sacred parts—that only appear in slowness. In the quiet. In the way light shifts across a moment.

I didn’t find the dragonfly’s truth by chasing it. I found it by being with it.

And maybe the same is true for us.

Another note from my journal:

This month, I’m taking a cue from the dragonfly—trusting the quiet, watching the light, and moving only when it’s time.

Reflection Prompt: The Hidden Shimmer

What part of you only becomes visible when you’re not performing, producing, or proving?

Picture a shimmer that lives within you—not loud, not flashy, but quietly radiant. It doesn’t show up on command. It shows up when you’re at ease, unguarded.

Where in your life could you pause long enough for that quiet brilliance to surface?

May your strength always be infused with serenity and remember….

Your Soul Belongs In Everything

Deborah

About Deborah G. Walker

Deborah G. Walker is the founder of Deborah G. Walker Coaching & Consulting. As an Intuitive Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant, she empowers leaders and teams to improve communication, enhance collaboration, and lead with authenticity and confidence.