We’re lucky enough to share our home with quite a few species of spiders (well, the outside of our home that is!). I’ve evolved my thinking on them as well. One day, a web builder was spinning her web in a place that I could watch the entire process—not only was it fascinating observing the intricacy of that innate instinctual product, but I felt also a growing admiration of the faith each spider must have that what they are doing, in spending so much time and effort in building the thing, that the thing will reward them at some point with a meal. Spiders, like all life, have the same life force within them. Humans could learn a lot from spiders on patience, fortitude, diligence, wu wei, and, indeed, faith. Oh, and Zen.
I once shared a room with a wolf spider in Thailand for a few weeks. And I mean it was a big one. Actually, sometimes it would go over into the bathroom as well and I always had to be quite aware of what I was about to sit on. At first, this completely freaked me out, after a while, I somehow integrated all the things you wrote about! Mostly because I had to. The thing was as big as my hand when my fingers were spread out, so the idea of trying to capture it was not realistic. In the end, she turned out to be a pretty good roommate and we gave each other quite a bit of distance. But my goodness what a process to get to know each other!
Funny enough, a group of us were discussing spiders the other day. Random trivia is that wolf spiders do not usually spin webs, preferring instead to live in burrows where they can pounce on their prey rather than trap them. I didn’t know that!
What a beautiful and fascinating piece! I never kill spiders, because they’re on our team. Instead, I gently ball them in a tissue and fling them outdoors. Besides, doesn’t killing spiders make it rain? 🤔
We’re lucky enough to share our home with quite a few species of spiders (well, the outside of our home that is!). I’ve evolved my thinking on them as well. One day, a web builder was spinning her web in a place that I could watch the entire process—not only was it fascinating observing the intricacy of that innate instinctual product, but I felt also a growing admiration of the faith each spider must have that what they are doing, in spending so much time and effort in building the thing, that the thing will reward them at some point with a meal. Spiders, like all life, have the same life force within them. Humans could learn a lot from spiders on patience, fortitude, diligence, wu wei, and, indeed, faith. Oh, and Zen.
“Never kill a spider!”
I once shared a room with a wolf spider in Thailand for a few weeks. And I mean it was a big one. Actually, sometimes it would go over into the bathroom as well and I always had to be quite aware of what I was about to sit on. At first, this completely freaked me out, after a while, I somehow integrated all the things you wrote about! Mostly because I had to. The thing was as big as my hand when my fingers were spread out, so the idea of trying to capture it was not realistic. In the end, she turned out to be a pretty good roommate and we gave each other quite a bit of distance. But my goodness what a process to get to know each other!
WOW! How cool is that. Any chance you would reshare this comment?
I'm not sure it was a wolf spider but I had a big spider on a porch window. (Outside of the window.)
If you approached too closely, she would angrily jump up and down on her web so she looked like she was throwing a temper tantrum.
Cutest thing ever.
Funny enough, a group of us were discussing spiders the other day. Random trivia is that wolf spiders do not usually spin webs, preferring instead to live in burrows where they can pounce on their prey rather than trap them. I didn’t know that!
What a beautiful and fascinating piece! I never kill spiders, because they’re on our team. Instead, I gently ball them in a tissue and fling them outdoors. Besides, doesn’t killing spiders make it rain? 🤔
Please don’t bite me again. I’m nice to you and your relatives.