I set up Chasing Dragonflies in 2013 following the sudden death of my daughter. Writing helped me process my grief and also help others who have also been bereaved. Here, you can read about those early days, months and years. You can also read about my books – The Dragonfly Story – a children’s book, and Life, Without You – a grief journal. Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of 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 was seen no more. We came upon this story when preparing Abi’s funeral and the vicar read it out. We knew many people of all ages would be there and wanted a reading that everyone could understand and, hopefully, find comfort from.

Water Bugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children Water Bugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children

After a water bug suddenly leaves her pond and is transformed into a dragonfly, her friends' questions about such departures are like those children ask when someone diesLccn 97013957 Ocr_converted abbyy-to-hocr 1.1.20 Ocr_module_version 0.0.17 Old_pallet IA18210 Openlibrary_edition Access-restricted-item true Addeddate 2020-09-06 05:10:50 Associated-names Ortiz Hernandez, Gloria, 1943- illustrator Boxid IA1924312 Camera USB PTP Class Camera Collection_set printdisabled External-identifier

Waterbugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children - Goodreads Waterbugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children -

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 on to a broad, green lily pad above. 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 the new atmosphere. urn:lcp:waterbugsdragonf0000stic:epub:ebf1ef9b-a349-47fa-b19f-efec1547a8d1 Foldoutcount 0 Identifier waterbugsdragonf0000stic Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t1mh6sw08 Invoice 1652 Isbn 082981180X