My Very Own Episode of Fear Factor

My Very Own Episode of Fear Factor

Do you remember that old show Fear Factor where people would try to overcome their fear of things like like snakes or spiders? Well If I would have ever appeared on that show my fear would have been cicadas.

I’ve been scared to death of those things ever since my family moved to Texas when I was eleven. The first time I saw one I was horrified at their big green, bulging eyes, and as soon as one took off in flight its spastic flapping wings confirmed that I could probably be driven to insanity if placed in a small room with a dozen or so of these terrifying creatures. 

As the years have gone by I have been thrilled that although you can hear these creatures quite loudly each summer, thank goodness they are rarely seen. They seem quite content to hum loudly in the trees throughout the summer. 

That is until this past weekend when my four year old grandson approached me with one pinched between his two fingers. Apparently his Papa had convinced him to hold on to it by its wings, and use it to scare Mimi. Thank you Chuck!

Just a few moments before he had run into the house with the empty cicada shell he had found in his backyard. As creepy as that was I was not too concerned since it was sans the flying insect that once had inhabited it, so the expected reaction was not what was hoped for. 

When Chuck then sent my oldest grandson in to scare me he never expected what actually would happened next. To be honest, neither did I!  As I stared down at my extremely brave grandson, I thought, “What the heck, now is as good a time as ever to conquer my fear.”

I reached down and cradled the young cicada in my hands. As he looked up at me with those bulbous eyes I realized he actually wasn’t all that scary. I’ve always tried to instill a love of nature, and God’s creatures in my grandson, and for some reason freaking out about a little ole cicada seemed a little hypocritical.

The cicada felt no different than a June bug or two that I’ve held before in my hands. Not exactly pleasant, but certainly not terrifying. All these years I’ve clung to my fear never giving this winged creature a chance. 

We then walked the little guy outside to the pecan tree to let it go. I placed it gently on the tree, and wouldn’t you know...that darn thing spastically took off for the nearest branch. My hands immediately went toward my face to prevent what could have been a collision of epic proportion.

Oh well, I was brave for a whopping three minutes. On the ride home that day, Chuck relayed his total shock that I had reached down and picked up that cicada. I had to admit, I was pretty shocked as well. 

I guess the moral of the story is don’t hold on to fears that you haven’t faced yet.