The Elegant Praying Mantis & Meryl Streep -Wait, What?!

My husband and I came back from the movies (The Man From U.N.C.L.E. - so fun! ((next post)) ) and we encountered this Praying Mantis on the railing of our porch right by our door.  I LOVE seeing a Praying Mantis...I wrote an article on its Super Hero powers...toothy front legs that hold insects like vice grips, super sharp vision, incredible stealth and camouflage, and coolest of all, a head that rotates and pivots like no other insect can!  As we approached it, it slowly turned his head and eyed us with its heart shaped head and huge eyeballs! There is nothing creepier than an insect staring at you.  Staring at YOU!!!!  Yeesh. 

The other thing, that isn't so elegant about it, well, it's actually quite gruesome is that when it is finished mating, the female will turn its head and kill its mate by eating its head!  Powerful female indeed. "Thank you. That will be all." CHOMP!

My article was titled "The Elegant, Graceful,- Ferocious Hunter!"  Remembering my article and seeing this cool creature reminded me of...well, strong women.  How strong women are viewed...or rather, not viewed as they should.  Why is there hesitation on women being president, or women going to war, or women as fire fighters, fighter pilots, or anything for that matter? When I was young, I was always fighting with my father about Equal Rights.  I would shout, "Equal Rights! Equal Rights!"  I was a bit of a Tom Boy and wanted to wrestle with my father like he did with my brother, or have a football catch, or a baseball catch... He would say, girls shouldn't want to do those things. I did, though.  I still love to throw a sweet spiral with the football. I just do.   All humans, male and/or female have talents and strengths. Not all males are strong, or athletic or make great leaders.  Not all females can dance, type or cook.  We all are different in what we can or can't do.  All humans should be respected for their capabilities and competencies and be compensated accordingly.

This brings me to seeing Meryl Streep in the news today.

Meryl Streep wrote a letter to every single Congressperson to resurrect the ERA. Equal Rights Amendment.  She pleaded with them to do this for their mothers, their sisters, their daughters and so on.... Sadly, she didn't get far.  She is even pleading with the Pope to address the inequality issue with women.  It is a Global Cultural issue and I'm not going to lie, in other countries it is steeped so deep in their cultural bones to squash women down to dirt, that change toward women will be almost impossible elsewhere.  But, I should never ever say impossible.  Women are much like the Praying Mantis. We are stealthy, elegant and can fight back for what we deserve. 

I'll never forget a brave Middle Eastern woman who was on a news program -might have been CNN- taking a very nervous journalist for a car ride, remarkably.  She showed the journalist how she proudly and boldly drives around her city when women aren't allowed to drive.  Her bravery was incredible.  She was going to drive come hell or high water!  So, she made the impossible possible. 

 

Funny that I saw the Praying Mantis just the other night; they are such a rare treat to see. I am in awe of them.  They are remarkable creatures.  It was there to remind me something.  Maybe it made me think of that non-fiction article I wrote about the Praying Mantis.  Perhaps, it was a reminder to me to keep writing. Maybe it was to tell me to be strong, be myself and boldly go where I want to go in life.  We are all exquisite unique creatures and one of a kind.  Be proud and expect the best from life.

 

Meryl Streep, you are exquisite in all that you do and I applaud you for reminding Congress that we are still here, still underrated, under paid, and under represented.  You are beautiful and strong.  Thank you.