Leg 1 Brooklyn to Chicago with a special guest

The praying mantis is the oldest symbol of God. "Mantis" is the Greek word for "prophet". The praying mantis supposedly directed pilgrims to Mecca. "The mantis comes to us when we need peace, quiet and calm in our lives. Usually the mantis makes an appearance when we've flooded our lives with so much business, activity, or chaos that we can no longer hear the still small voice within us because of the external diner we've created. An appearance from the mantis is a message to be still, go within, meditate, get quiet and reach a place of calm. It may also be a sign for you to be more mindful of the choices you are making and confirm that these choices are congruent."*

Imagine my surprise at 4:20 this morning when I went out in the rain in downtown Brooklyn to retrieve my car from the garage. It was pouring and I thought, "what a crap way to start a long trek". And then I saw her. A praying mantis on the hood of my car in the dead center. I pulled up to Jenni to begin packing up and the mantis remained still. In the rain. On a moving car. I said, "Jenni - there's a grasshopper THIS long on the hood."

We packed the car and she stayed. We drove out of Brooklyn after little sleep at the beginning of the first leg of a road trip that would last almost a week. Once we realized it wasn't a grasshopper Jenni researched the meaning of the mantis and we were on our way. Both covered in chills in the dark morning and the spotty rain.

Here she is in her glory on the hood. It is still surreal. I will take it as a sign. We needed a prophet. I've needed one for a while but now I feel so comforted about everything. The madness and chaos has passed. Now we just have to laugh. Drive safe. Take great care of Stewie and each other and get to California. With the guidance of the praying mantis.

*taken from http://www.whats-your-sign.com