Yesterday was full of beginnings for students around our city. This week is full of days of new beginnings for students in our family as well--yesterday, Wednesday and Thursday we will have students return and begin new schools all over our city. A few days ago Allyson, my five-year-old discovered a "crab" on the side of our home. Aaron cycled around this "racetrack" of the driveway to where Ally had parked her bike. The only constant stream of water we live near is the one that flows from our sump pump, so I knew this creature she discovered could not be anything resembling a crab. The day went easy on us with a high of 95 degrees instead of the 100+. I relaxed my muscles, let the sun dew my skin, not enough to be uncomfortable, but enough to relax and put you to sleep. Allyson kept obsessing about the "crab." The "crab" turned out to be what I grew up calling a locust, but anyone from academia would correct and call a cicada. The locust had made his escape route the side of our house.Six crunchy legs still stuck to the resin siding of our house, with his caramel shell growing out from those, defying gravity's law.
To Ally's delight and slight anxiety (told by the hives creeping up her chest to her neck) she had encountered a new being. He needed to be checked out, wanded perhaps, patted down by her mother. There was no telling the tricks up his sleeves, or claws as they might be called.
Now, walk back in time with me, perhaps you would be in a situation where you would get an adrenalin rush partly because you weren't sure if it was going to hurt or not. It was almost like getting a cavity filled. You knew it had the potential to hurt, but if the dentist did it just right, it wouldn't hurt at all. You would just be numb for a while and feel a little silly. Did he give the numbing medicine long enough to kick in before pulling out the long needle and sticking it in your gums?
You could see that feeling on Ally's face as she peered at the "crab" and leaned a little closer and then scampered to me to tell me...it had MOVED! "MOM! Did you see IT?! It's moo-ving!" And she said it like that with the tattling, attitude voice and the hand on the hip. I figured she had obsessed enough, so I left my catnap on the front stoop to investigate the "crab" that turned out to be a locust exoskeleton. It had not moved, just her imagination.
I plucked the locust's transport vehicle gingerly from the side of our house. Aaron took a giant step back. I began to explain to the children about exoskeleton (I am a teacher, one whose bachelor's degree is in science, so yes I turned it into a science lesson. There is no off switch.). Allyson released her apprehension into the sky like a child releasing a helium-filled balloon into the clouds. Scientific investigation won over. Aaron counted the legs--six until Mommy accidentally broke one hanging the locust from her shirt. Allyson noticed the escape route of the small slit the original dweller was able to slide through.
All three of us were preparing that day for an "exit" to leave our current exoskeletons behind for newer, more vast ones that would accommodate the journey we were embarking on. Allyson began Kindergarten Monday. I started a new school with middle school boys. Aaron will officially be a preschooler in a week. Our exoskeletons had to fit the growth that was happening and protect us from the "new" and "different" elements or lessons we are to learn on this jaunt of our journey.
"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy" Col 1:11 ESV
