Ain't got time to die. What is more Insectane?

I would ask, "What is more humane?", but I'm not speaking of a human. Since when is everyone expected to treat all animals the same as humans? Never, in my opinion. However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't honor and respect all of God's creations.

So that brings me to my question. If we are talking about a grasshopper, which is more insectane? Or in other words, which would be nicer to the poor creature: kill it quickly to prevent it from eating mine and my neighbor's plants and garden, or another alternative?

Here is the alternative I was faced with for the last few days.

My office is in a basement room with a window that lets in the sun. Since I'm in front of the computer for 8 hours a day, it is nice to stretch my eye muscles from time to time looking out the window. Still, I think my cat actually enjoys the sun more than I do. She lays in its warmth, and especially likes to chase reflections around the room.

The window is just at my eye level. One day last week, I heard something hit my window. I didn't know what it was and was a bit startled. At first I thought that one of the kids might have been playing outside and threw something in. Then I saw movement again out of the corner of my eye and realized that a grasshopper had jumped down and was trying to jump out. Did I get up immediately and go rescue the poor creature? Are you kidding? I'm in the middle of a large project and that would really break my train of thought. I watched the grasshopper a couple of times try to jump and hit the side of the window-well. Then my attention was focused back to my lines of code.

I didn't think of the grasshopper again that day. After a cold night where there had been frost on the lawn, I figured the grasshopper had went the way of all the world (well except for the citizens of the city of Enoch, probably Moses and Alma, Elijah, John the Revelator, and the Three Nephites to name those we know of). I looked around the rocks at the bottom of the window well and couldn't see the little guy, so I figured he might have made it. After the morning warmed somewhat, I was suprised again when the grasshopper again jumped against my windowpane. Still too busy to go outside, I kept programming, but felt a little sorry for the creature. I figured it would probably be better if I went out and stepped on it to stop the pain. Again, the insect was forgotten, and the next night again frosted the lawn. (For those of you who don't know, that means it was below 32 degrees Farenheit, or 0 degrees Celcius... it froze water, OK?) Again I searched among the stones for something green, to no avail. Again my thoughts were lost in a different world and code flowed from my brain through my fingertips onto the flashing screen in front of me. (Actually, it had to go to California where the server is, and back before it would flash on the screen, so it is pretty amazing that it all happens so fast.) When to my wondering eyes did appear but a miniature bug was hopping near. I really saw it struggling this time. It didn't seem to have much strength.

So what should I have done? I could have thought more about the little guy and put it out of its misery. Whenever it would have been time to do something about it though, I had my mind in more important things... like working when I'm supposed to be working, or spending time with my family, etc. I really don't get much time on my own to think of other things... unless I wake up early. So here I am.

So, I'll put on some shoes and do a more thorough search right now! Well, can you find the missing picture? Once again, I can't.

The moral of the story? It's not easy being green.