I actually found a praying mantis outside so I started taking care of it for a few months and sadly one day it just stopped moving I tried to give it more food but I realized soon after it had passed away, so I built a mini coffin for it and had a little funeral for it. R.I.P.
I used to be too embarrassed to kneel down and help small animals when I knew there were people around. I stopped caring a few years ago. Hell yeah, the pierced tattooed 25 year old with rastas who stops in her tracks to help that little bee or ladybug or whatever, that's me. And I'm proud of it, and you should be too and you better follow my example haha.
When I was a kid my mom taught me to pick the snails out of the garden or off the driveway, and sprinkle salt on them. She would say, "See how they bubble and squirm! Isn't that funny?!" She hated those snails SO much. I always felt bad about it, but also wanted my moms approval so I'd kind of laugh and go along with it. I grew up a little and realized how f*ed up it was to do that. Then, I thought back on it as an adult like, "Damn mom, were you trying to turn me into a serial killer? Nature is not bad for doing what it does...Snails gonna snail" Lol I honestly still feel so guilty about all the snails I've killed. Now that I have kids I teach them that all creatures deserve to live their lives, no matter how small or insignificant we may think they are. I've said this many times before, but my 10yo is like Captain Planet lol He's always trying to help the little critters
Cer-Timmy, my praying mantis, also recently passed away.