Each night this week I have sat on my back porch listening to the songs of the Cicadas. I realize that for most these guys are gross, scary, big bugs (and I understand that on some level).
But for me they have always symbolized a bittersweet beauty, as the markers to the end my summer. It is at this moment that I am always forced to come to terms that I have worked through my summer and have not taken time for myself to really appreciate or enjoy it.
This year, I was at least able to go to the lake several times, but the visits were usually placed between two errands. This is something that happens all the time and I am going to guess that it will happen again next year and the next…
But one thing has changed, last night was the first time I was able to see a live Cicada. They are so beautiful! The colors and the design are amazing. I have not been able to stop looking at this photo. The wings are transparent, but when the flash of the camera reflected off of them they glowed with opalescent brilliance.
This guy in the photo below landed on the table as we were sitting eating dinner. I have gotten very use to the random bugs out there as it seems every night I find a new and interesting insect to explore. But this one was very special to me because he was a Cicada and he just sat there not moving…just sitting there long enough for me to go inside and get the camera and take a picture of him and then he flew into one of the plants and was gone.
Today as I gazed at his image something changed~ the sadness of hearing their song was replace by how beautiful and stunning he was. So tonight as I sat outside listening to their songs back and forth to each other… I did not really think about the ending of summer, but more of how beautiful he was and how lucky I was that he came to visit me last night.
