A Life Lesson from 17 Year Cicadas

Welcome to the World (A haiku)

Seventeen long years
In darkness, dirt and voiceless
Now sun, flight and song!

One of the longer insect life cycles in the world is the 17-year Locust (which is actually a cicada). Today I was able to witness one as it experienced daylight for the first time in over a decade. I truly felt honored . White, soft, and fragile but it will soon be black and armored.

I’ve always been fascinated by the intense color combo. It’s not the olive green and drab of the perennial varieties but intense black, orange, yellow and red! It’s like these are designed to say:

“Predators be damned! This is me, world!  I’m free to move in three dimensions and I am going to make my mark!”

There’s a lesson here for all of us. So often we spend our lives in the dirt and dark and feel voiceless and oftentimes it’s even of our own making or because we are afraid.

Let’s not wait 17 years to sing.

This is your day to shine and be you in the colors of your choosing!