Capturing Life

Joel and Micah caught a moth in our backyard and kept it for about an hour. They watched it from inside a "bug jar," wondering why it didn't eat the leaves they had fed it and asking why it looked "unhappy." I use the term "it" here, but they wavered between "him" and "her." Scientifically, they were more accurate. Finally, they debated whether or not it was right to keep a captured animal. "He would make a good pet," Joel says. "She would be safe," Micah adds. "But he wouldn't be free," Joel points out. "We could let her out and if she wants to be our pet, she'll fly back. We'll keep the bug jar open, just in case." Minutes later they released it, only to notice that it seemed to clean itself with its tongue. It paused for a moment and flew away. It is possible to capture life in a jar. It is impossible to capture life in a photograph. My sons get this. I often miss this.