Who wears a red cloak and flies through the air,and comes down the chimney in winter, inciting warm cheer?
No, it’s not Santa this time, but Ladybug!
Ladybug’s black polka dots on orange or cherry or fire engine body surprises and delights us into awareness. When one is near, so is Spirit. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, and yet, we all feel it!One legend has it that back in the middle ages, European farmers were despairing over their crops being consumed by pesky aphids. One day, they prayed to the Virgin Mary, and the next thing they knew, these mandala-shaped angels descended on the invaders, and saved the food. The farmers gratefully named the benevolent crimson beings “Our Lady’s Beetle”. That is how they came to be known as Ladybug! Sometimes they are called, “Ladybirds”, another nomenclature of respect.These names aren’t quite scientific: they aren’t so much a “bug” as a “beetle” order known as “Coleoptera”. They aren’t quite moth or butterfly-like in their lifespan, for they undergo a complete metamorphosis, transforming through the stages of egg, larvae, pupa and adult. Ladybugs have been known to make an appearance in our lives just when we are going through big changes. The presence or image of a lady bug can remind us to rise above fear and embrace transformation with hope and acceptance.Almost all cultures have stories about the good luck Ladybug brings: the Canadians believe if you pay attention to the direction that a ladybug arrives from, that is the direction from which good luck will come to you. The Swedes tell us if she lands on the hand of a young maiden, she is sure to be wed soon. The French and Austrians say that if Ladybug makes an appearance in spring time, there will be a good harvest.Joy, acceptance, celebrating the coming spring, and caring for the harvest of the community fields...what could be a better reminder of the true meaning of the holiday season and the winter solstice? This month, look for Ladybug. She loves to snuggle in the warmth of a house when the sun has gone down in the garden. If you happen to see her, receive her as the gift she truly is, and let your heart follow her lead.
