Lightning Bugs

I was recently reading an article about lightning bugs as we Southerners call them. According to the information, they are called fireflies out West and in parts of the North.

As I read the article it brought back a ton of good memories all associated with summer. The end of May is typically when the lightning bug season starts so it’s no wonder that they are imbedded in so many summer childhood memories.

My earliest memories centered around lightning bugs was when I was just a wee little whipper snapper. As a family, we drove up to Oklahoma for the summer to visit with my Uncle. One of the few times growing up that I had met with my cousins. I didn’t have the best childhood, but this summer all seemed right with the world. It turned into a magical summer I would never forget. Forging great memories with cousins I met for the first time as we spent hot summer nights under an ocean of stars at night chasing lightning bugs.

Seemed like a different world altogether back in the mid 70s. At the risk of sounding cliché, kids were allowed to be kids. Whatever didn’t kill you made you stronger was the mantra in those days, it seemed.

We cousins spent our days exploring creeks, fishing and general everyday shenanigans you would expect from a bunch of pre-teen kids with too much time on our hands. We spent our nights chasing lightning bugs, playing hideand-seek and laying in the grass under the stars dreaming of exploring the vast universe or whatever crossed our minds at that young age.

I am quite sure that most everyone has memories of summer nights tied to this beloved little beetle. If not, something went wrong somewhere. It is almost a right of passage to do this at some point as a youngin’.

Some other memories of summer that I relive only during summer months, are walking what seemed like 100 miles to get to the local YMCA to go swimming two or three times a week. Some hot summer days we would get up early and walk around 15 miles or so just to spend the day at the mall. Sometimes to play at the arcade but mostly because it was always ice cold in the mall. We went everywhere barefoot. Back then you could go most anywhere barefoot and shirtless. It was almost mandatory most days to go shirtless and barefoot. Some adventures going barefoot turned out not such a good idea when we had to cross a field filled with stickers. Most of my favorite memories are tied to swimming in summer.--didn’t matter if it was in a creek, pond or the pool at the YMCA; I never had a bad experience when we got to swim in the summer. Well, there was the one summer my older step brother taught me how to swim by throwing me in the deep end of the pool. He later got his hide tanned right proper and my other two brothers and I spent the rest of the summer taking swimming lessons.

Summer is upon us. What will you do to recreate or create those awesome memories only made during the summertime? Summer is far and away and has always been my favorite season and always will be 100 plus degree days in all.

This is Will B. saying grab your swimming trunks and I will see ya at the lake.