A Life of Words

Happy 2025, everyone! I’m going to count this as good luck for the new year: An adorable green lacewing perched on my finger and didn’t seem to want to leave me.

I was in our kitchen on New Year’s Day and saw something tiny flitting around the stove/oven. I reached out quickly with my right hand to see if I could grab it without squeezing and take it outside. I was surprised to open my hand and see that it was actually there, and when I realized it was a lacewing — a very beneficial insect — I headed for the back door.

Standing on the patio, I shook my hand gently, expecting it to fly away. Instead, it flew from my right palm to one of my fingers, so I knew I hadn’t harmed it. I blew on it and shook my hand again and it stayed put. Then I reached into my left pocket for my phone and snapped several photos. I shook and blew on my hand again and, after a few seconds, the little one finally flew away.

I’m going to call him Greenie and say he’s my good-luck charm for 2025. After a crazy year of health issues, I can use one — and I am starting out the year sick with congestive crud. Since our oldest started getting sick late on our trip to Denver to spend Christmas with my birth family, Kay and I have also caught the bug after our return home. Knock on wood, our youngest isn’t sick yet.

Here’s to Greenie and wishes for an awesome 2025 to all our family and friends!!