Every July 4, I think of the year I experienced a better light show. In a sustainable cabin overlooking restored meadows, I watched as night fell and thousands upon thousands of fireflies lit the meadow and the trees surrounding it – right to the tops of the trees.
It was breathtakingly beautiful and completely silent. A staff person called them “contemplative fireworks.”
“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”
Mark Twain
I’ll set aside the fact that I wish we didn’t have a countrywide fireworks display scaring children, pets, and survivors. The difference between overbearing leadership and servant leadership is the difference between fireworks and fireflies.
We could all use fewer fireworks and more contemplative fireworks in our lives.