Have you ever seen fireflies? - Magical experience from childhood

So I grew up in a small town where summer evenings were quiet and breezy. I remember seeing them since I was 7-8 years old. There was a huge marking nut tree next to my house and during late summers it would be swarming with them at night. Hundreds of them. They would also be on the bushes, hedges, and plants of all sorts.

Sometimes they used to come inside our house, mostly visible during blackouts at night. I've even had one sitting on my hand. It was a truly magical experience. Seeing light glowing inside tiny living creatures felt like holding a little miracle in my palm.✨

As I grew up, their appearance became less and less every year. Perhaps it was the radiation from the telecom towers, the increased use of chemicals in nearby farms, or maybe something else was dimming their presence.

I think the last time I saw one was when I was 14. We permanently moved out of that town at the time. It's been 15 years and I haven't seen a single firefly since.

Recently I read an article saying fireflies are disappearing all over the world, with habitat loss, pesticide use, and light pollution among the biggest threats to their survival. Their populations are declining rapidly, and if this continues, many of their species could go extinct within a generation.

It broke my heart and brought back all the beautiful memories. Watching them flicker in the dark, feeling amazed by something so simple and real - like a tiny spectacle from childhood, glowing just long enough to stay with you forever.💫❤️

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