What I Learned From a Ladybug
While at work the other day I encountered a couple of ladybugs wandering on top of the sheets of material that had just arrived. My first instinct was to just flick them off and continue on with what I was doing. As I got closer and was about to flick one away I stopped myself. I decided instead that I wanted to just watch them for awhile. As I watched the thought came to me that maybe they were lost and scared, wandering in an unknown world, and not knowing where to go. In that moment I understood that all life is precious. I’ve gone through all the years of my life mindlessly squashing bugs, flicking various insects out of the way, never taking a moment to recognize the miracle of life displayed right in front of me.
What if I lived inside of a world where I was the insect and some being decided that my existence was unimportant and simply squashed me?
I grabbed a piece of paper and placed it next to the ladybugs and one by one carried them outside to a patch of long grass growing along the wall in our back lot. I placed them close enough to the grass that they were able to easily walk onto them and be on their way. As the last one crawled onto the blade of grass it turned around and seemed to be looking at me. I bent down to meet it’s gaze. As I sat looking into the eyes of this ladybug, it fluttered it’s wings, continuing to look my way. I thought that maybe this was it’s way of communicating with me, and maybe it was trying to say “thank you”. I returned the gesture with a gassho (bow), and went back to work.
It’s amazing what we can learn when we pay attention.
I remember reading the reply from Sean (greenfrog) after taking my vows where he wrote “now notice”. It always confused me a little. What did that mean? Notice what exactly? I think I’m beginning to understand.
Thank you ladybug for reminding me of the preciousness of all lives…even tiny insects.
