Katydids Done Teached Me!

This lovely lady Katydid, whom I was referring to as a boy grasshopper for days joined us in our home several days ago.  The first day she was hanging out on the white black out curtains near the patio door.  The second day she hung out with my dad in front of his picture.  The third day she hung out with Buddha.  And, for the last two or three days she's been on the TV.  I thought she was into the Olympics.

I was worried that she was sick because she hasn't gone outside.  Yesterday I brought her some spinach and leaves -- when I thought she was a he grasshopper.  This morning I found her with one little teeny pellet under her.  The cleaning lady was just here two days ago so I knew it wasn't dirt.  I thought she must have pooped.  A few hours later there were four and when I saw there were four, I noticed one had infintessimally small little antenna!  She's a momma!

And, I'm a katydid grandma.  I'm gonna go out and buy little bonnetts.  No pacifiers needed.  They are quiet.  I gave her a tiny leaf shaped bowl of water and some fresh grass, but apparently she has all she needs.

I started my day by burying a dragonfly. I love dragonflies and had found one on my floor yesterday. I carried it to the orchid and it opened its wings a few times, but it was clearly not in good shape.  This morning it was lifeless, so I buried it with the rosemary tree so I won't forget it.  I thought it was a bad omen to have one die in my presence.  It was about an hour after I buried it that the katydid moved from the orchid to the top of the TV and laid her egg. 

Had she not moved to the top of the TV from the more natural place to have her babies -- in the orchid plant -- I wouldn't have seen the life.

I know this is a great lesson to not be so attached.  I am so sensitive to creatures dying, I have stopped the feeds of friends on Facebook who post photos of suffering animals. I am overly-sensitive to it all. 

But, apparently, the katydid also has another meaning. I own this book but can't find it for the life of me.  Luckily I found a blog writer who had my exact experience of having a katydid alight in her life. From the Best of Mother Earth blog (http://bestofmotherearth.com/2008/08/24/the-katydid.html):

The book Animal Wise by Ted Andrews said: These animals teach us how to blend and shift our energies, to change how we have been approaching things. We may during this time try doing things a different way. These animals often show up in the beginning of a new endeavor when individuals are initiating new lines of work and creative activities.

Synchronistically I am starting a big new project AND I am also doing my best to reignite the fires of my book when not feeling incredibly well. I wrote 150 pages pretty easily over the course of five months, but I have a long way to go to craft it into a good book, so I've been at an impasse.  Perhaps Katy will be my good luck charm in turning the tides, and in doing things differently.  I'm going to say she is.

And, I'm going to remind myself that the Lazy Way to look at death is as much a part of life as life.  One creature dies.  Another is born.

And, I love the way Thich Nat Hanh speaks of death as just a changing of forms.  As Hanh quotes the soul that has passed looking down at his still living love: "Darling, don't you see me in my new form?" 

Here's to Lazy flowing transformation....Gotta go get baby katydid bonnets for the babies now at the local Katydids R Us.