I have become quite fond of this industrious spider.
I have hated spiders almost as long as I can remember. They have lots of legs and eyes and they make those webs that get all over you if you accidentally walk through them. It’s very easy to walk through them because you can’t see them unless the sun hits them just right. That’s another thing; they are sneaky too.
But, as I’ve shared in an earlier post, that you can see here, http://gracefulgaines.com/2014/08/13/we-only-have-to-do-what-we-are-called-to-do/ I have gained some appreciation for this garden spider this summer. She has been hard at work in my garden and she has helped to keep the pests away. Every few days I found her in a slightly different spot.
Well, about a week ago, she was gone. I have no idea what a spider’s lifespan is, but I was kind of sad to see her gone. I guess it’s a signal that summer is winding down and I always hate to see the summer go, even when it’s a hundred degrees in the shade. I really do love the slower pace of life that seems to go hand-in-hand with the season.
But, then she reappeared, unfortunately, across the gate leading into my backyard. I was forced to disturb the web that she had worked so hard on. (If either of my siblings are reading this post; they have at this point, screamed in horror and slammed their laptops shut. They are serious spider haters.) I didn’t destroy it, but it was really damaged.
The next day, she had moved over to the window by the garbage can. I was really impressed at this point. This spider never seems to give up. Then last night, my hubby had to disturb her web again as he took the trash can down to the curb. But, this morning, she had moved a little and rebuilt.
This afternoon, I stood in awe of this industrious spider, (from a safe distance of course.) She never gives up. She builds this unbelievably intricate web. Have you ever really checked one out? It’s a work of art. We mess it up and she simply rebuilds.
I think there may be a lesson here. How often do we as human beings work very hard on something only to have it damaged in some way? This could be physical things or emotional things like relationships, friendships and marriages. We seem to have become a society where it’s the norm to walk away when damage occurs to our web. “When the going gets tough, we take off;” has become our motto.
It’s often easier to walk away than to rebuild and there are times when it’s definitely appropriate to go. However, there are many times when we should stay and rebuild, making our situation better and stronger and sometimes even more beautiful.
This spider has become a reminder of the beautiful rewards that can come from commitment and from standing your ground. She’s a reminder that we should never give up. Think about that, the next time you see one. (Even if you don’t like spiders!)
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂