Friday, October 23, 2020

Friday, October 23, 2020

Tonight's picture was taken on October 7, 2008. That day, students of mine from the University came by to drop off this large Halloween theme basket for Mattie. The basket was almost as large as Mattie. It was a very thoughtful and colorful gift. I found it very touching, but as you can see, Mattie had a different reaction. He was very sad and landed up crying. For the most part, I would say that Mattie did a great job balancing the complexities, pain, and emotional roller coaster of cancer. Yet there were times or incidents, that triggered reactions. This was one of those times. The basket reminded him that things were not normal. He was sick, living in a hospital, and would not be celebrating Halloween like his friends. 

Yet look at this photo! It was taken 10 minutes after the one above. Thank goodness for time and date stamps! Within the big Halloween basket were these adorable finger puppets. Mattie pulled them out and though his eyes were red from crying, he started to play and interact with me. I am sure I helped him in some way redirect and potentially find the positive in a sea of despair. But Mattie's journey always serves as an example to me. When I am down, I realize things can always be worse. Even in the worst of times, Mattie had the inner spirit to look for the positive. It was one of the many things Mattie taught me. 

Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins. 

• number of people diagnosed with the virus: 8,472,847
• number of people who died from the virus: 223,752

How often in the middle of the city do you see a praying mantis? For me the answer is RARELY! The last time I saw one near our home, Mattie was alive. Mattie LOVED bugs. All kinds. Another thing we differed greatly on! 

Mattie would have loved this sighting today. So much so, he'd probably ask if we could take this mantis home. Of course the answer would be NO! 

The mantis is named for its prominent front legs that fold together in a gesture suggesting devotion, the praying mantis comes off as serene and soulful. You might think of them as docile things, moving about slowly, nibbling on orchids ... but looks can deceive. The truth is, mantises are ambush predators with lightning-fast moves. 

One of the things I miss about Mattie, was his outlook on life. He seemed to have an innate understanding for the importance of slowing down and observing the world around you. Perhaps it is the beauty of being a child. In any case, with sightings like this today, if Mattie were alive, this would have inspired us to do some research into this creature to learn more about the mantis. Nothing like learning from nature and real life. 

So in honor of Mattie, I naturally googled the Praying Mantis. Here are some fun facts about our green, brown, black, and sometimes white friends (as they camouflage themselves to the environment that surrounds them):

1. Praying mantises possess stereo vision, and thanks to the placement of their eyes, they also have a wide field of vision. Not only can mantises see in 3-D, but research has found their 3-D vision works differently from all previously known forms in nature. Aside from revealing more about mantises themselves, this could help scientists develop better vision in robots.
2. Mantises are the only insects capable of turning their heads from side to side. Being able to turn its head without moving the rest of its body is a key advantage for a mantis when hunting, allowing for minimal movement as it sneaks up on prey.
3. To the surprise of scientists filming them, mantises have been found to jump with extreme precision, contorting their body midair to land on a precarious and specific target. Check out this video....
4. Praying mantises wait to ambush or patiently stalk their prey, but once they’re ready to strike, they do so with lightning speed, attacking with those big front legs so quickly it’s hard to see with the naked eye. In addition, they have spikes on their legs to skewer and pin the victims into place.
5. Mantises like their food still moving, apparently. That can make them helpful in pest control, since they prey on some potentially destructive insects like beetles, crickets, and grasshoppers, but it's worth noting they aren't picky eaters. Check out this video: