Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a colony of little water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice that every once in a while, one of their colony seemed to lose interest in going about with its friends. Clinging to the stem of a pond lily, it gradually moved out of sight and it was seen no more.

“Look!” said one of the water bugs to another. “One of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you suppose he is going?”

Up, up, up he went slowly. Even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. His friends waited and waited, but he didn’t return.

“That’s funny!” said one water bug to another. “Wasn’t he happy here?” asked a second water bug. “Where do you suppose he went?” wondered a third. No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled.

Finally, one of the water bugs, a great leader in the colony, gathered his friends together. “I have an idea. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he or she went, and why.”

“We promise” they all agreed.

One spring day not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan found himself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broken through the surface of the water and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad. Weary from his journey, he slept.

When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. He couldn’t believe what he saw. A startling change had come to his old body. His movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Even as he struggled, he felt an impulse to move his wings. The warmth of the sun soon dried the moisture from the new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly.

Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in his new atmosphere. By and by the new dragonfly lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. Then it was that he chanced to look below the bottom of the pond. Why, he was right above his old friends the water bugs! There they were scurrying about just as he had been doing some time before.

Then, the dragonfly remembered his promise: “The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell where he or she went, and why.” Without thinking, the dragonfly darted down. Suddenly he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that he was a dragonfly he could no longer go into the water.

“I can’t return!” he said in dismay. “I tried, but I cant keep my promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would recognise me in my new body. I guess I’ll just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they will understand what happened to me, and where I went.

And the dragonfly winged off happily into his new wonderful world of sun and air.

Please remember my Dad who has left our pond. Give him a new good life in a wonderful new world of sun and air, and then remember me, and let me someday be a dragonfly with him too.