The Shimmer of Perspective

Lately, I’ve found myself surrounded by winged visitors — butterflies drifting in the sunlight, hummingbirds darting with impossible speed, and most recently, dragonflies floating into my path - I almost feel like a Disney character surrounded by these tiny flying creatures. 

At first, I chuckled, thinking they must like my Magnolia perfume, but then it struck me: maybe these small encounters are gentle reminders on our lens to the world. 

Walk with me for a moment and let me share what I mean here.

The Trio of Winged Messengers

Each of these creatures seems to carry their own wisdom, significance, and symbolism:

• Butterflies remind us that transformation is possible — that change can be graceful, even beautiful.
• Hummingbirds teach us joy and precision — that the sweetness of life is often found in the smallest details.
• Dragonflies invite us to pierce illusion and explore new ways of seeing.

Together, they’ve become a quiet trio emerging in my days, nudging me to notice more, pause more, and shift my perspective when life feels too rigid, complicated, confusing, or narrow.

Dragonflies as Teachers

Dragonflies have become particularly interesting to me, as I don’t recall ever seeing them float through my neighborhood until just recently. What fascinates me most is how they shimmer. Their wings refract the light, so depending on your angle, they can look entirely different — translucent, iridescent, or flashing with color.

That play of illusion and truth feels like a lesson in itself: perspective changes everything. 

What seems obvious in one light may reveal a completely different truth in another. How often do we take what we see at face value, when a shift in angle might reveal something different, missing, or completely new?

Perspective as a Practice

It connected me back to a book I recently read, The Art of Happiness, in which the Dalai Lama reflects on how changing perspective can alter our experience more than changing circumstances ever could. Whether it’s a stressful day, a difficult conversation, or a season of uncertainty, sometimes the invitation is not to push harder but to tilt our view. 

To ask: What else might be true here? What’s the shimmer I haven’t seen yet?

Closing Thought

The next time you notice a butterfly, a hummingbird, or a dragonfly, let it be more than a passing glance. Let it be a gentle reminder: the way we see the world shapes the way we live in it. And sometimes, all it takes is a shift in perspective to discover beauty, truth, opportunity, or possibility that was there all along — waiting for us to see it with a fresh lens.