On a warm summer day, a man named John sat at his desk, surrounded by the clutter of his life. His phone lay in the middle of a mess of mugs, donut halves, tissue paper, and permanent marker pens. A photo of a smiling toddler was displayed as his wallpaper.
John had recently divorced his first wife after a marriage marred by violence. He had quickly remarried a woman with a child, and now they were expecting a child together. But John’s restless heart was already yearning for a third wife.
As John scrolled through his phone, he came across an article about the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that was wreaking havoc on New Jersey’s trees and crops. The article reminded John of his own invasive nature, his constant need to move on from one relationship to another.
John sighed and put his phone down. He knew that he needed to change his ways, to find a way to settle down and create a lasting relationship. But the allure of new beginnings was always too strong to resist.
Just then, John’s wife walked into the room. She looked at him with concern in her eyes. “Are you okay?” she asked.
John smiled weakly. “I’m fine,” he said. “Just thinking about life.”
His wife put her arms around him. “I know it’s been tough,” she said. “But we’re going to get through this together.”
John nodded. He knew that she was right. He had to find a way to make this marriage work. For the sake of his wife, for the sake of his child, and for the sake of himself.
The spotted lanternfly is back and wreaking havoc in New Jersey
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