I live in Southeast Louisiana. And that equates to hurricanes. One dark and stormy night years ago I had one of the most profound experiences since I first started on my path.
I was living in New Orleans and decided to go North to my grandparents' home to ride out the storm. I was settling in for the night on the couch to go to sleep. And I kept hearing a thunking sound. At first, I thought it was just some hail, which isn't uncommon during a storm. But it was not as regular or consistent as hail. The more I listened, the more I realized the thump was coming from inside the house.
I got up and started walking around to find the source. And what I found was a huge Atlas moth. I was still...new...probably only a couple of years into my path. And my focus then was on really becoming expansive and connecting with the energy around me. So I went into a state of expanse and started to purposely radiate a calming energy.
The moth stopped banging against the walls and settled onto a table. I was able to pick it up with no issues. I focused my mind and decided to, respectfully, project to reach the mind of the moth. I just wanted to give it a message to say, "Everything is ok. I'm just going to bring you outside." I felt it give way and ever so gently we connected and I gave my message.
It rested on my open hand all the way to the door. I opened that with my free hand and then realized the storm had made landfall. The wind was whipping and I could see the leaves dancing in the air. Nothing scary mind you, just typical for where I was during a weaker hurricane. But I felt a strange primal type of fear and I realized I had not dropped the connection. The moth still in my hand was not built to withstand the storm.
I spoke to it and said, "Stay in here for the night where it's safe. I'll let you out in the morning when this is over." Without hesitation, the moth fluttered from my hand and landed on the glass covering a picture hanging by the wall. I walked back to the couch and started getting comfortable.
Then I felt a tug and realized I had once again forgotten to drop the connection. I apologized and tried to let go. It held on tight. I first felt a wave of gratitude as I realized I had been speaking but I hadn't been fully listening. It was thanking me but also pulling me in deeper. I released my hesitation and quieted my mind to listen for whatever it had to say. At first, there was a buzzing humming noise. But the deeper I got I realized I was hearing the thoughts not of the spirit of the moth I had connected with but of the mind of the physical moth. The thoughts were simple and basic. Instinctual and primal. But they were all so fast and so fluid. They merged together and the noise transformed from being noise to being a song. A beautifully composed symphony of thought free flowing and endless.
This was the most beautiful music I had ever heard in my life. I was captivated. I realized that the moth's physical life is so short that a second for us is like an entire day for them. It was humbling and exciting. For that moment I realized how trivial some of my own problems were. And how they really only last a second. I fell asleep that night to the moth's song. I woke in the morning and the moth was still in the exact same place I had left it. I opened the door to the sunshine and the smell of fresh rain and it fluttered out.
I have looked back at that moment so many times in my life. There have been many struggles and challenges since then. There has been fresh trauma and pain since then. And when I get down about those situations (and some of them have gotten me down for a hot minute) I always come back to that night. I always remember the moth and its song. And I kick myself and say, "Look this is just one second in your life. This is not your life and this does not determine your life. It's just a hard moment and there are better things you can focus on instead."
I will forever be grateful to that moth and that piece of wisdom it gifted me.
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