Lizards, Bees, and (Gasp!) Butterflies

Working out in the gym can become repetitive and boring. That’s why it’s good to change up the routine and do something else like go hiking, as my husband and I did this past week.

We had traveled the path before, so we knew what to expect. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop me from worrying.

As my husband and I hiked the trail, I tuned in to nature. For example, I was very aware of insects - possibly mosquitos - trying to bite me. While slapping them away, I began to wonder, “What if the trees are full of ticks and one falls on me?” (Actually, this is one of my greatest fears while in the woods, probably because a tick landed on me during recess in the fifth-grade.) I also was aware of slight drop offs and worried about losing my footing and slipping down one.

Then, without warning, leaves began to rattle. My first thought: It’s a snake! Instead, what emerged, was a cute, cuddly squirrel. Not long afterwards, more rattling leaves caught our attention. “Did you see the size of that lizard?” my husband asked. Unfortunately - or probably fortunately in my case - I did not see it.

We resumed our walk, and it was not long before we heard the rattling of more leaves. Up ahead, not far from the trail, five squirrels were playing together and chasing each other. It was such a cute scene and made my worries fade until bees (or maybe they were yellow jackets) started buzzing in my ear and chasing me.

So I waved my hands in front of my face. And ran.

“Watch out! Don’t trip over the roots!” my husband yelled after me.

By the time my husband caught up with me, I had successfully avoided the bees (or yellow jackets). We were almost to the end of the trail when a black insect flew up in my face. I screamed. My husband laughed.

“Are you scared of a butterfly?” he asked.

“No,” I said as I noticed the insect was a beautiful butterfly - black with white markings. “I couldn’t tell what it was at first. You know I love butterflies.”

I sighed. This was supposed to be a stress-free way to get some exercise, and all I did the entire time was worry about what could happen. Why? Maybe it's because I have bad luck with bugs. They're usually attracted to me and cause me to have huge bug bites. Or maybe it's because nature can be so unpredictable.


Either way, could you imagine me on an episode of “Man vs. Wild”?