Those Pesky Mosquitoes

Back in the day, I worked on a "hot shot" (fire line) crew for the US Forest Service. Early one Spring morning at a swampy tree farm in the foothills near Lake Oroville, I found myself standing at attention with a group of several others. We were sawyers (chainsaw operators) getting advanced instruction on falling large trees. Out of nowhere we were besieged by a cloud of mosquitoes that were intent on our little group supplying their breakfast. I was not wearing mosquito repellent, and apparently the instructor was since he kept the lecture / demonstration rolling. At this point the only thing I was learning was the expression "being eaten alive." I couldn't focus on anything but the sound of the swarm and the irritation of their bites. Seriously, I had to cover my mouth and nose because I actually inhaled a few.

Getting to the point where I could not stand it anymore I decided to get to work metaphysically -- this was my only option-- since walking away, complaining, or asking for a break was not an option. The treatment (or argument) was simple and precise. The thought that came to me was, "As a child of God, Spirit ... I am not a piece of meat for another creature to dine on."

In the midst of torment, "I am not a piece of meat" became so clear in my thought that there was no way I was going to back down to the evidence of my senses -- or let go of this truth. Immediately the mosquitoes vanished. In fact we did not see another one the rest of the day. Best of all I walked away that morning without any evidence of being bitten.

Driving home that afternoon, the two individuals with whom I carpooled with described in dismay how they had never seen so many mosquitoes ... how miserable they were ... and how weird it was that the humming black cloud of blood sucking insects seemed to vanish all at once.

;-)