Stuck In Between
Illustration by Chris Cagle
I watched the small lizard stalk his prey in the space between the window pane and the screen on my kitchen window. He made a quick meal of the insect. Not for the first time, I wondered how he got into that small space. The screen has no holes and seems to be secure. For that matter, how do the insects find their way in? I can envision a couple of mosquitos landing on the screen, folding up their wings, and taking turns pushing and pulling each other through the tiny openings. However they do it, the lizards blindly follow them inside. I wonder how long it takes them to realize their new dilemma.
I went outside to more closely examine the screen. I ran my fingertip around the rim of the screen and discovered the secret. With a little pressure, the screen gives way and the lizard can push past it. Too bad that it snaps shut behind him. Once inside, the same screen that allowed him entry is firmly pushed against the frame of the window preventing an outward escape. He is trapped.
Photo by Darrin Henein on Unsplash
The little guy makes me think about our hustle and bustle world. We can get so focused on something to the extreme that we will follow it anywhere. With little thought. The excitement of the pursuit or the anticipation of the prize clouds our reasoning, and we fail to recognize the trap. We may be so enthralled with the chase that we give no thought to later. But soon, the prey or the prize is consumed and in seeps reality. A prize is a prize only when it doesn’t spring a trap.
In the case of the lizard, the prize is good; it is sustenance, but the path to the prize becomes the barrier. No matter how tasty the critter, the lizard is now stuck. Going out the same way that he got in is impossible. He could conceivably exist for some time if enough insects find their way in and enough rain or condensation furnishes his water. But stuck inside that space, he can do nothing else but exist. His usefulness is limited to insect control in a very limited area.
Sometimes, we find ourselves stuck with our prize and no identifiable pathway out. Is the prize worth the price? For the lizard, he forfeits his life in the pursuit of what he thinks is essential. If he had only looked around, he would have found the same insects available to him with a little more effort but a lot smaller cost.
The lizard gave up his freedom and ultimately his life. Yes, the two dead guys at the bottom of the space give testament to the reality of his foolish choice. I really need to clean out my window! If the little buddy stuck in the window waiting for the next foolish insect to join his prison could talk, would he warn us? Would we listen?
