I try to appreciate every day, every month, every year, for what it is, and yet some months in particular ring more special. June is one of them.

June is my birthday month (cake! frosting!). June is swimming in the outdoor pool. June is the month of the latest sunsets. June is warm, humid nights. June is planting month. June is rocking on the front porch at dusk after working in the garden all evening. June is fireflies and crickets.

Fireflies. Those magical creatures. I can’t not be at peace with life when I watch fireflies light up and attempt to attract a mate. As dusk falls, my eyes dart from spark to spark as they light up. It’s impossible to see the full glow. And each time I see a spark, I’m cheering for them. “Find your mate! You can do it! There is a firefly out there for you! Have faith!”

The male fireflies fly high. They emit a light pattern, and the female fireflies, if interested, mirror that pattern from lower down. This is why I purposely don’t cut my grass as often during the month of June. I want the females to have a comfy spot to attract a mate. The pattern matching isn’t as obvious at the beginning of the night (so many fireflies!) but towards the end of the night, it’s magical to see a male emit a signal, and a female copy it. It gives me so much hope. “Yes! You’ve found your mate! Go forth and be happy!”

And the crickets. The beautiful symphony of the crickets. The gentle chirping as background music. I give thanks for how lucky I am. To be rocking on a porch, on a hot, humid night, listening to crickets and witnessing fireflies. How could life be any better?