Mockingbirds and stucco walls - Day 17 of 30 day writing challenge

(Image source: http://handi-eats.blogspot.com)

30-Day writing challenge through Kale & Cigarettes (500 words)

I saw someone I know last night, mid-bite, stand up and kill a spider with her fork. The spider was crawling up the wall nearby in the restaurant but not too close to us. It's not like this was a spider that is the size of your hand from Costa Rica that you'd worry would jump on your back when you aren't looking and start crawling.

I don't like the idea of spiders crawling on me, but I don't kill them. The ones hanging out on walls at outdoor restaurants deserve to be there for starters. Moreover, if I were to find one in my house that is bothering people, I would either pick it up myself (Daddy Longlegs) or get a couple pieces of paper to scoop it up and let it outside.

If it were a brown recluse or black widow, I would take extra precautions. I'm glad I don't live in Arizona to meet a tarantula. I used to kill spiders.

lives matter

I think that means I'm a Buddhist now because I was really taken by the act of watching. I didn't scream or anything. I didn't even mention it. I just took note as to what I will write about next here in this forum. Who am I to end a life, especially when it's just crawling up a wall not bothering anyone? I leave them on the walls in my house. If one is crawling across my mat in yoga class, I wait for it to pass and then I continue. I take photos of intricate spider webs that are made outdoors, glowing with raindrops or dew in the sunlight.

I used to dream about spiders in a creepy way. They were fear dream symbolism. I made peace with that. What gets me the most is ending a life when it's not harming anyone.

mockingbird doesn't harm anyone

That's like the theme on To Kill a Mockingbird. In fact, my daughter, at the dinner of the spider massacre, was telling us about her English class discussion on the true meaning of mockingbird. I don't remember if the spider's life was ended before or after this discussion, but it was pretty deliberate, and instigated by a calm and gentle woman who loves animals more than people. Apparently, insects are not in the category of beings to her.

I am reminded now of a movie of the Dahli Lama where Brad Pitt builds him a movie theater but there are too many live worms in the dirt so they need to first transport each worm single-handedly to a new home before continuing. Lives matter.

The other day I saw a ladybug swimming in the birdbath. The water was so low so I filled it. I let the water run slowly so the ladybug would not be too disturbed. A little while later, I went back to find the ladybug very still. It made me sad to think that I harmed it.

Nature is speaking to me.. and I'm listening. Time for a hike (away from technology).