The Praying Mantis and the Faithful Squirrel
Krystal Land © 2011…
One hot summer day I walked out of the kitchen door and stood on my front porch. Observing the defeated herbs below me, I noticed a praying mantis hanging from the side of the pot. I watched the insect as it felt around the soil and thought, “So, are you the one who has been draining the moisture from my plants? You and every other critter around here I imagine.” Going on about my business, I left the large green bug to tend to her’s.
Soon after, a squirrel moseyed onto the porch, seeking water and making attempts at droplets that had landed on a black garbage bag I had just set out. We had barely gotten a sprinkle, but the squirrel knew that even a sprinkle could leave a drop of water somewhere. Now, why these critters chose my porch for a canteen that day, I have no idea. Well, maybe I do, but we will get to that momentarily.
Later on, a haze swept over the sky, the wind began to blow rustling the trees, and big, cool rain drops finally made their way to the earth. After the shower I stepped outside again, but this time I noticed the praying mantis on the porch rail, rather than on the pot, as she had discovered large puddles of water on the railing. The squirrel returned to the porch as well, but I had set a bowl of water out for it. And sure enough, as if she was thirsting to death, she also drank.
As I think about the praying mantis and the thirsty squirrel, I am reminded of how we should be when we are thirsty in specific areas of our life. When we have a need, we should think like the praying mantis and remain still in a place where we will be able to recognize the answer when it comes. At times we should also be like the squirrel and have the faith to keep seeking, even if we only find small blessings. Who knows, like the squirrel did, we too may come across an even greater miracle.
Still, there is more to be learned from this story. It makes me think… What can we do from our porches? Are we still enough to see a need? Are we willing to meet a need, even if it seems like something small? Whose thirst can we quench?
Who would have ever thought that we, the dominant humans that we are, could ever learn a lesson from a bug or a rodent? I believe that if we are still enough, we can find inspiration in unlikely places, even on our porches; and, one day we may see more than just a couple of thirsty critters seeking a few drops of water.
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