Walking Diary with Mantis

Launching a walk yesterday, I crested the hill and my knee complained loudly. I wondered if it needed to turn back, decided not, and as I was descending the hill, I saw a big, oddly moving leaf on the right. Its head turned. The leaf with eyes and I watched each other, and I slowly extended my hand to measure how big this creature was. As long as my hand! I moved my palm up to scoot it off the walking path into the grass. Wicked spikes on its forelegs, and a spooky intelligence in its eyes, it turned its head away and moseyed up and over the long turf. I was overwhelmed. Wednesday we talked in writers' group about nicknames in elementary school. I got called walking stick. In the same week, for the first time in my life, here was my nickname's cousin. Looked up "praying mantis" in AnimalSpeak. Praying mantis references the Power of Stillness. The universe gives us messages when we most need to hear.