1.06.2009

Praying or Preying?

I just walked into my office and was startled by this huge praying mantis sitting in the middle of my floor. (Of course, in an effort to not carry many valuables on me due to the recent string of muggings in my area, I don't have my camera.) I must admit, I'm rather frightened. While they don't pose a danger to humans, these buggies, according to the good ol' Wikipedia, have been known to eat rats, toads and snakes. A known cannibal and member of the cockroach and termite families, perhaps my fear is due.

Wiki, however, doesn't seem to note any species reside in Asia. Perhaps this is a sign from God. (Dum, dum, dum - dramatic foreshadowing sound.) According to this animal symbolism site, the praying mantis represents and need for peace in our lives. It also says that the mantis doesn't make a move unless it's completely sure it knows what it's doing. And this little beast is making it's way up my desk leg.

I was just thinking earlier today, that my reality in six months is that whatever I choose to do after Cambodia could potentially dictate the direction for the rest of my life. For once, I didn't come to this realization in a moment of panic - I do, after all, have six months to determine my course of action. But I'm at the point in my post-college, pre-reality life where I am ready to commit to something, whatever it might be. So maybe this praying mantis is a sign from God to choose my path wisely.

Or perhaps, I look at things too deeply and there is just an insect climbing my desk leg.

I like to think the former.

3 comments:

Crys said...

My mom is totally into animal symolization, so I found this for you :)
http://www.whats-your-sign.com/animal-symbolism-mantis.html

Rachael said...

Haha thanks!

Unknown said...

You can so totally hold it and it would have been fine! :) Ive did it this summer with one probably smaller than that one.