While brushing my teeth the other night I noticed a small tiny gnat perched on my bathroom sink drain.
As I swished my extra strength mouth wash around in my mouth, I spat at it, drowning my little friend and sending him into his watery grave.
No sooner did the mouth wash leave my mouth, I had an awakening of sorts. I had just taken this little creatures life. I killed it. In the most inhumane way possible. Washed it down the drain along with my spit as if its life was insignificant. Erased him from this earth.
Who am I?
Now, I know many of you are thinking, “Anne, it’s just a bug. A tiny, replaceable, forgettable bug at that.” It’s life span is probably a few days at most. The world will not miss it, nor will the world stop spinning on it’s axes for it.
But, who am I?
If my life was taken tomorrow, minus a few close friends and family, no one would miss me. The world would not stop spinning for me either and just like that bug, I would be forgotten. So what makes me think that my existence is any more important than his?
It is not.
Well, clearly a human life is held more valuable than that of a bug’s life, but we both have a right to live. To live our life.
If nothing else, we as humans, much higher on the “food chain” and in conciseness, should be more responsible with other types of life. We have to protect those who can not speak for themselves and those who speak in languages we do not understand.
I know, it’s just a bug, but that bug symbolized to me every living creature that is “below” me. That little bug’s life was short but it served its purpose. It awakened in me that all life on this planet is to be cared for, respected and honored.
The animals in the forest, the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the plants, the rivers and oceans… even the bugs in our sinks. Respect and honor all life. A life energy runs through them, just as life energy flows through you and me.
So let us honor and respect the life energy in all living things.
Of course we will kill bugs in this life, but may we not intentionally smash them out. May we live and let live, valuing each life. Learning to share this earth with each other and all living creatures, bugs included.
Today I saw a little gnat in my bathroom while brushing my teeth. Instantly the urge to want that bug out of my home hit me, but just as quickly I remembered his friend from a few days before.
I smiled as I let the little bug fly on its way. No doubt its life will be short anyway but I will not be the one to end it. I imagined that bug like a little alien visiting this earth for such a short time. Experiencing this earth as a bug. It’s little life force crossing my path and I was grateful that I was able to just allow it to be.
We are all here just passing through, what ever our form or life span may be. May we all be allowed to experience this life, just as we are, unharmed ~ and just be.
Write back soon, love Annie
ps… noisy little Tufted titmouse bird signing in the background while I’ll recorded this audio outside today lol. Guess he agreed with all I had to say 🙂
