A little black bug on the gravel of the highway ...

Yesterday riding home on my bike I noticed an ENORMOUS black beetle crossing the street ...

I've grown used to the tiny rice kernel sized beetles that living in the walls of our house ... squishing them has become passe ... but this beetle was huge and iridescent and beautiful ... his body gleamed and shimmered in the afternoon sun ... he was simply beautiful ...

I stopped the bike and watched him as he laboured across the asphalt. He was climbing around the stones and gravel ... he had to climb over grit and sand ... every inch he achieved was a major herculean effort. No doubt from his perspective the gravel he was wending his way around, through and over seemed like massive boulders blocking his way.
But he persevered.
He plugged away.
He confronted each obstacle and either overcame it, or changed his route to go around it ...
He was simply trying to cross the road ...

I watched him for 2 or 3 minutes - he was making some head way, but it was tough sloughing for the poor little guy ... I reached down and very gently picked him up and carried him across the street. I stepped into the grass along side the road and lowered my hand.

He didn't scurry off my hand right away ... he paused. He was perhaps resting before continuing his journey. In a moment though, he did scurry out of the palm of my hand and dove into the grass ...

He scampered into the long stringy stalks of grass and disappeared ... I hope he is relieved and safe ... I hope he saw my gesture as something helpful ... something beneficial ... I hope I helped him along the way ...

... I guess I'll never know ... but to hold such an exquisite creature in my hand for even a moment and enjoy the colours shifting and dancing on his hard shell was payment enough ...

Dayenu ...