Today as I was having a ‘business meeting’ around  and in the pool of my friend Robin, I had a visit from a tiny, red being decorated with black spots. A ladybug, or as my Irish friend Jacinta informed me, they call ‘ladybirds’ in her country, had come to share a message with me. It perched on my arm and made its way down to my hand and rested there as we continued to talk about ideas for workshops we are designing. Of course I knew that there was a symbolic meaning as there is for every being that comes my way, so I looked up ladybug and here’s what I found:

Ladybug *Ted Andrews/Animal-Wise   Keynote: Wish fulfilled …
The ladybug is a small beetle that fascinates most people. A great deal of folklore exists about it. sometimes referred to as the ladybird beetle, it is always considered lucky to have one light upon us, and the killing of them was considered unlucky. Some traditions make wishes upon them, resting them upon the open palm. When they flew off, the wish was released to be fulfilled. Many believed that the ladybug would fly to one’s true love. The appearance of the ladybug heralds a time of luck and protection in which our wishes begin to be fulfilled.
Ladybugs aid in pollination. They also control aphids, which attack plants and crops. A single ladybug can eat 50 to 100 aphids a day. Their presence signals a time of shielding and protection from many of our own aggravations and pests.
The adult lives from nine months to a year and a half, and this always indicates a time of luck within our lives of about equal length. The adults congregate in the fall to hibernate. In the spring, they emerge and lay eggs, and a female can lay as many as 800 eggs, reflecting the abundance of luck and beneficial flow being activated within our life, with the fall and spring being the most abundant times for such.
Ladybug’s appearance signals new happiness, often with material gains. A renewed sense of well being occurs, and higher goals and new heights can be more easily attained over the following months. Worries will begin to dissipate.
Often the female ladybug has seven spots, but regardless of whether it is a male or female, the number of spots should be counted if possible since the spots often indicate the number of gifts and wishes that will be fulfilled in the future. Whether a wish for love, job, or the fulfillment of a dream, the ladybug signals a time in which there will be opportunity to pursue and capture or dreams in our lives.
  A significant aspect of the ladybug is the red and black coloring, although there are other color variations, including yellow and black. This coloring serves as a warning to predators. If attacked, it squirts a chemical from its knees, which is distasteful to those that would try and eat them. This characteristic might indicate that someone or something is preventing the fulfillment of a wish at this time. We may need to give a strong, clear warning.
  There are different kinds of ladybugs, and one kind beats its wings faster than a hummingbird. The ladybug can indicate that we are trying to push too hard and too fast in fulfilling our wishes and dreams. We still have to work for them, but we also must allow our efforts to unfold and manifest in the time that is best for us. The ladybug can warn us not to push too hard, that the wish will not be fulfilled at this particular time.
  Are we not protecting our endeavors, our dreams?   Are we allowing others to dissuade us from our pursuits and loves?   Are we trying to do more than we are capable of at this time?   Are we limiting our wishes and dreams?   Are we trying to force our dreams into manifestation rather than allowing them to unfold in the manner best for us?

This was especially timely since recently, I have been casting my desires out there, as if throwing a fishing line out into the ocean. In the past, I had nearly kept an anchor attached to it, so it couldn’t drift far. The anchor was in a vain effort to prevent disappointment, but instead, it kept me from being free to attract what I want. Now I am trusting that I will catch what I am seeking and that if the ladybug chooses to fly away home, it won’t be because her house is on fire or her children are gone.