I was walking down the street toward my neighborhood cafe this morning when I noticed a ladybug flying toward me, wings aflutter in full buzz mode. I stepped aside to let her pass. And then it occurred to me - maybe she was aiming at me and I should have let her land. You see, cultures the world over believe that ladybugs are lucky and having one land on you is very auspicious indeed. Maybe she was intending to bring me some luck (goddess knows I could use a little) and by avoiding her, as well intentioned as I was being, I dodged the luck that was coming my way.

Common wisdom tells us to face life head on. Popular colloquialisms like "it hit me like a ton of bricks" and "like a slap in face" are generally associated with moments when life forces us to recognize something. Well, ladybugs are way smaller than bricks and don't hurt like slaps. (I had a point but I forget what it was.)

Did you know that the ladybug is the State Bug of Massachusetts? Neither did I, until I stumbled across this tidbit whilst Googling for photos of ladybugs. (Why do we need a State Bug?) I also learned that ladybugs, as a totem animal, represent resurrection. Cool.

Anyway, the lesson, young grasshoppers (while I'm on the insect thing why not), is this: DON'T DODGE LADYBUGS

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 4:21 PM