Day 208: Lessons from a Grasshopper

A while back, when on a nature walk, I spotted a grasshopper. 

Wow, I haven't seen a grasshopper in a Long time!

Naturally, I wanted to get a close up photo of it (given my newly discovered photography skillz).

I didn't have a chance. I couldn't get close enough and the grasshopper, sensing my encroachment, hopped away.

A few days later I saw a group of them in some tall grasses I was passing by.

Ooh! I'll try to get my photo now!

Nope, same outcome as before.

Disappointed but undeterred, I maintained my determination to one day capture the beauty, details, patterns and textures of the grasshopper with a close up photo.

I didn't know when or how it would happen, but I fully believed that one day it would.

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This morning before work as I was making breakfast and getting ready for my day, something caught my eye.

The sight was so compelling I stopped what I was doing, grabbed my phone and scurried over to the window.

Something seemed VERY out of place.

What the heck?! There's a grasshopper on my 4th story window!!!

I was so excited! How was this even happening? A grasshopper randomly climbing on MY window FOUR stories above the ground?! 

I couldn't believe it. I was finally going to get my close up! Well, the grasshopper was going get IT's closeup.

And you'd better believe it was a photoshoot. I tried out ALL of the angles. Probably spent a solid 5 minutes - at least.

 

It is so interesting how the things that capture our attention and really spark an interest or desire seem to keep resurfacing.

Sometimes we miss them, too distracted or busy to catch the subtle appearance.

And other times the reappearance is too obvious to miss - like the grasshopper.

What we focus on expands.

This is why when something catches your eye - say someone's bright yellow shirt, for example - you then start seeing the same or similar things all over the place/way more frequently.

It's on your radar, now [whatever 'it' is], so it's much easier to pick up and notice later on. 

This is a great realization to have not just about nouns - people, places, or things - but about attitudes, perspectives and approaches as well.

What we focus on expands.

Knowing this, why not focus on the things that we want, are interested in, lift us up, make us feel good? Why not intentionally expand the positive attitudes, open-minded perspectives, and nonjudgmental approaches that would benefit us most?

That sounds a whole heck of a lot better than focusing on things that hold us back and break us down.

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In the spirit of accuracy, I must admit that all of the grasshoppers I saw on my walks and the one I had a photoshoot with this morning are actually Locusts. Not Grasshoppers.

I didn't know what a Locust was until I looked up the difference between a grasshopper and a locust after my sister asked which it was.

Locusts can fly. Grasshoppers can't.

Who knew? Clearly not me.

My research also left me with these fun facts [courtesy of AZ Animals] - enjoy!

Grasshoppers

There are many things you may not know about grasshoppers. Here are some examples:

• Grasshoppers have ears on their bellies
• Grasshoppers make music by stridulating
• Grasshoppers lived way before dinosaurs
• Grasshoppers are a good source of protein

Locusts

Locusts also have some interesting things about them:

• If food runs out, locusts turn cannibal
• Locusts have serrated jaws
• Locusts are waterproof and can repel poisons
• Eating locusts can reduce heart cancer