TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023 - WE ARE NOT ALONE!!

 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023 - WE ARE NOT ALONE!!

(Imagine the theme for Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, or some other eerie song.)

There have been discussions about aliens - is our planet being visited by aliens? Are there unidentified flying objects (UFOs) hovering over us?  

But that is not what I’m looking at today - we are not alone - this planet has mammals, insects, birds, reptiles, fish, spiders, amphibians, and more.

For example, scientists estimate there are 20 quadrillion ants on Earth – that’s 20 million billion.

We frequently go through our days without noticing other than people (unless we have house pets). 

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Recently, my community has been overrun by crickets. I don’t remember seeing many crickets over the summer, but the eggs may have hatched with recent rains and a little cooler temperatures.  

To my limited knowledge, crickets are mostly harmless. They eat aphids, larvae, seeds, and grasses.  

In particular, this month, crickets have invaded the Georgetown Recreation Center. The various pesticides have gotten a lot of them, but as I walk on the track, there are many. (I was going to say “hundreds,” but that might be high). In the ladies locker room, there are crickets. Many have been stepped on, but some are still hopping around. 

 Outside on the sidewalk, there are more. I had one that somehow made it into my apartment. I haven’t seen it for two days - so I suspect it might be under a table (dead, I assume).

Coming from “up north,”. We didn’t have cockroaches. I’ve had a few in my apartment - and I think they are ugly. They can climb walls, their antennae work separately, 

I am a “Fire Ant” - at least for my team name in Granny Basketball. I have been stung by fire ants, and it is not pleasant.  

I see wasps have started a nest on my porch. I did get a stray to knock them down.

Spiders are not insects, but I do have spiders in my apartment.  

Yes - we are NOT alone!!! We are being invaded (by insects and spiders - and who knows what else).

There there are things we can see that invade.  Things like COVID, E. coli bacteria, and Flu Germs.  

And we are being "invaded" (if that is the correct term - by WiFi signals, radio signals, polluted air, and more!

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Let’s go to the bigger picture.

I know very little in the big scheme of things (and sometimes I know less daily <grin>). 

So, okay, God, why did you make crickets? Or why did you make mosquitos? Or cockroaches? Or poisonous snakes?  

Or conversely, why did you make roses, lilacs, tulips, and other flowing objects so beautiful?  

And, if you take the Bible as a platform, it says, “You made man in your image.” If so, why are there so many hateful people worldwide? I picture you (God)  as loving - God Is Love.  

I’ve commented before that astronomers estimate over 8 trillion galaxies - each with millions of stars and possible plants - the UNIVERS IS HUGE!!

From the microscopic bacteria to giant galaxies - we are not alone. God, however, you view Him/Her/The Force/It/Utopia - far beyond me - and I want to follow Him/Her forever.

LOVE WINS - even with mosquitos, crickets and cockroaches

LOVE TRANSFORMS US - make us lovers, help us forgive, help us grow

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023