We all get that thumping feeling in our chest when we take a big risk with an unknown outcome. Whether it is from excitement, anxiety, or a combination of both, it is only natural to fear an unknown outcome.
But if you feel that heartbeat is beating extra fast, or has a slightly… bouncier feel, take a look around as you may be surrounded by little bounding cheerleaders known as Babathubs.
These minuscule creatures live their life in constant risk of falling over. They teeter on craggy legs, ill-suited for walking, and instead use their voluptuous rears as their mode of transport.
They moonhop around, and when watching them, it is nearly impossible not to be overcome with laughter as they jump, fall and wriggle up to try again with infectious grins. Given babies’ ability to see monsters at a young age, I have surmised many ‘bum-shuffling-bubs’ have picked up the Babathub’s mode of transport.
This is not surprising given the nature of the Babathub, which seem to appear whenever someone is taking on a new challenge or about to take a leap of faith. From babies learning to crawl to adults changing careers or taking on new challenges, Babathub's use themselves as an example that things will be alright even if you stumble, and they take joy whenever their message is heard.
I first encountered the Babathub after quitting my full-time job to become a fully-fledged monster hunter. It was a time of excitement and fear, and I often found myself worried at night. Was I making a smart decision? During this time, I discovered a small group of Babathub in my basement and decided to set about studying them.
At first, they looked random, blindly jumping about, falling over, only to try again. But soon, what initially looked like chaos and madness became clear, sometimes you have to have faith that things will work out and rely on others to help. If we stumble, you have to have faith and listen to your heart. Once I realised this, the Babathub’s bounced three times in joy, their mysterious work was done, and they vanished to find another person to assist.
Win or lose, it was my turn to leap!