I thought this day will never come. Can you imagine a Lady Leaf Bug that does not want to blend in anymore? A passion to become visible grew in me. In fact, I never liked chameleons or octopuses. Why would anybody, especially a beautiful lady leaf bug like me, want to be invisible? Join me in this journey in which I will tell my story of how I became The Tire Lady Leaf Bug.
I am the oldest of three siblings. I wanted to share some pictures of my parents as well as my brother and two sisters, but sorry to say they are all still invisible. I don’t know what is worse, to face my destiny and die invisible, or to dare to adventure and die with no regrets?
I am green. My Spanish name is Esperanza, which means hope. I was kind enough to include a picture of myself at my new home. The resemblance of my body to a tree leaf is unmistakable. But unlike a leaf, my body is a mean of disguise and not decoration. Moreover, the beauty of my green is the reason I decided to find a new home and maybe die in the jaws of a predator.
When I first told my parents about my decision to become visible they were angry. They were angry not only because I was going to leave, but because they knew they will going to lose me forever. My siblings were probably too young to understand what was happening. But neither my parents could understand what was happening and the motivation behind my dismay. Nothing they could have told me was going to make me change my heart. I spread my green wings and at that time I realized the severity of my decision as my family started to fade away and to disappear in the wildness of the forest.
Once I departed I was not sure where I wanted to go but one thing was clear, I wanted to be seen. I spent ten minutes flying before my fragile body started gasping for air. Unfortunately, my leaf bug instinct guide me to land in a near by green bush. I never thought or even contemplated that despite my courage and determination, instinct was imbedded in my green tiny body. Instinct was the defiance force I had to battle. At the time I felt that instinct was the only thing that could defeat me. I was looking forward to the challenge as my parents always taught me to follow my dreams and never give up.
Another leaf bug was also away from home. The feeling of finding someone else with the same thirst for adventure overwhelmed me. But for my disappointment, he was only collecting food for his family. We had the opportunity to converse. In fact, I helped him packed the food he was going to take back to his family. I did not disclose my true intentions to the new found friend. My mind and my heart were clear in one thing and I did not want to hear anything contrary to my new found passion.
After much rest and feeding, I was ready to once again spread my wings and embark on this unforgiven journey. This time I was more aware of my instincts. I flew farther, higher, faster. I pushed the boundaries of my body, the boundaries of my species, the boundaries of my instincts and after much punishment I noticed an object with a round shape. The object was dark. The darkness of the object is what attracted my eye. I never encounter anything with such a distinct contrast in relation to the green I possessed.
Without hesitation I was drawn to this round and dark object and landed on top of it. My instincts resurfaced once again. Am I safe here? Would I be easy prey? How would I feed myself? All those questions haunted me.
For the first time in my life I felt visible. I am visible. I question if my decision was based on an obsession. But after experiencing my new way of life there was no doubt on my mind or in my heart. I found a new home were I can live my passion regardless of the harsh consequences. I am and will be, until the end of my days, The Tire Lady Leaf Bug.