Sand rises and falls between my toes as my bare feet tread atop the uneven earth. Dotting the bronze sand are crimson ladybugs. Technically the season is not yet spring, as February continues to linger, though the sunny afternoons are becoming longer which hints that warmer days are loitering around the corner.
Ladybugs, though one of the smallest specimens, continue to awe me. Whenever catching a slight glimpse of one, my eyes force me to stare at their seemingly polished wings, which are sprinkled with tiny dots of black. On most ladybug sighting occasions I will kneel down on one knee, as if to propose to a person who ceases to stand before me, and allow the insect to crawl up the side of my finger making its way to my knuckle. One could be experiencing a day filled with many unprecedented twists and terrible turns, but have that individual placed in the presence of a ladybug and all is well.
Not only is it their stunning exterior beauty, but their gentle touch when lingering across your finger that allows these creatures to be harmlessly lovable. Ladybugs are trusting. Whether they allow themselves to travel up the side of one’s arm, or if they settle calmly atop a beach’s shore, they are trusting. This I admire greatly. One cannot trust everyone that they meet; they actually should spend much time with an individual before they could place their trust in them. Ladybugs trust you, allowing you to trust them.
These insects inspire me to never give up, for they seem to persevere as well. When they settle atop the sand of a beach, they risk being squished beneath one’s shoe. And yet they trust those who have the power to harm them. When they search for water in order to quench their thirst, their tiny bodies could very well drown in a puddle or small pool of water. And yet they keep persevering in their search for necessities in order to survive. When they land on a welcoming emerald leaf rich in nutrients, they must know that predators are lurking under a nearby branch. And yet ladybugs keep hoping that they will not become another insect’s dinner. Ladybugs encourage me to keep on keeping. When glimpsing a ladybug I am reminded that even during the hardest of times I must keep trusting in those I know I can trust, keep hoping, and keep persevering.