My sweet girl, Hocus Pocus is nearing the end of her life. For those who don't know, she is one of my praying mantises. She is ancient by mantis standards at over a year in age, and to date she is my longest lived mantis ever. I've known for a while know that she has been reaching the end of her natural life span. Truth be told, she was ready to go several weeks ago, but kept clinging on in part because I was so insistent on continuing to hand feed her and keep her around. I kept telling her, "Oh, it would be so nice if you were here for Christmas." And then it was, "New years is almost here you can be the first mantis I've had that has lived during three seperate years."
And so, she humored me and tried her best to cling on. Now however, it is time. I know it is time and she has just been waiting for me to accept that. As we speak her little body is slowly shutting down. She was too weak these last couple days to hang upside down, but last night she shifted down into her favorite spot under on of the leaves to her favorite plant. Her tiny toes are clinging on. I know she wants to hang there as long as she can while her body shuts down. I have some soft blankets resting beneath her if/when she falls.
Anyways, idogs is the best place in the entire net for good vibes so if anyone wants to spare some gentle thoughts of strength for her on her journey to the rainbow bridge it would mean a lot to me right now.