40 Reflections – #8: 40 days of raw recollections during the Lenten Season
THROWBACK THURSDAY!
Today we lost a lizard.
We’re taking care of our neighbor’s pets and somehow, the lid of the terrarium came off, and this morning the gecko was gone. We looked in all the dark places we thought he would hide. Behind the curtains, along the molding, under beds. But the little guy just wouldn’t show his face, plus the cats weren’t talking (suspicious), so we had to stop looking for the moment.
That’s the challenge with anything…the moment you realize you have no control over a situation. If a dog is lost there are signs to post, and numbers to call, but a lizard is a lone warrior. He has to be strong, stealthy, and smart in that little body with no one to hold a leash or place a chip inside. We paused our search and prayed to St. Anthony to help us find the lizard and of course St. Francis. After all, whether someone’s pet is a three-inch gecko or a 150-pound Great Dane, it still brings joy and unconditional love to our lives.
As I pushed aside socks under the bed looking for this little guy, I thought about the days when all we wanted to do was climb into the quietest, sun-filled spot in our world and just sit. Free from the buzz of the phone, the worry in our hearts, and the stress each day potentially brings. Perhaps that’s what our gecko friend is doing now.
Tomorrow we’ll look again. Up on ceilings, under couches, and on window sills. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll be back home – after all, home should always be the safe place we share with those we love. Faith always leads us home.
What I learned – 2025 Update:
Faith almost always leads us home, but not with this lizard.
Please pray for the Pope and pray to St. Francis for all the lost pets and their owners searching for them.
Thanks for joining me,
Lucretia
runonmom.com 
I had a gecko escape from the tank once years ago. Like you, I looked everywhere I could think until I gave up eventually. I found its body some time later (months, at least) on the floor amongst some bottles at the bottom of a closet about 8 to 10 feet from where its tank resided. So it didn’t wander too, too far. While the bottom of the closet had to be dark, it had moved in the direction of the windows, so perhaps in the direction of the sunlight. Of course, I still feel bad about it. I must have left the lid open.
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I’m sorry. I bet the sunlight gave him the comfort he needed to rest comfortably. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
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