The Spider Web.

I 

I tried to paint this cobweb but every attempt I made left me more and more frustrated with the outcome. The spider could build it but I could not reproduce it as well as it could.

I watched a spider working on the repair of t the is the web. It worked without stopping repairing the broken strands caused by the unexpected heavy shower of rain. We see these webs so often and they go unnoticed as we hurry past. 

In the early hours when there is frost in the air or the touch of summer dew, they sparkle like wondrous works of art capturing the eye. Such beauty, and yet also the instruments of death for the unsuspecting fly caught in them.

Life is full of traps that beckon us into their lairs. I am sure I need not labour this point we all are aware of the little traps we get caught in. This morning for me it was the lair of sloth.  I got up early ready to do so much but ended up making a coffee and heading back to bed to drink it in the warmth.

Here is an interesting fact about spiders. Spiders are usually born on the lower branches of bushes or trees. Some for one reason or another decide to stay right there in the lower branches where, when old enough they leave the web of their parents and move over to another corner and build their own web.

There in the safety, they catch the odd fly and have enough on which to live, not fat or full but they get by.

Others decide to climb to the higher branches and build their webs on the exposed branches of the trees and bushes. These are the webs that get torn and battered by wind and rain. They are also the webs that are up there where most of the flies are, so the captures they make are more frequent. In turn these spiders eat better, are stronger and bigger. 

One day one such spider met a very small young spider on the branch of a bush. The young spider looked at the big one in awe.

The large spider asked what the youngster was looking at. “Your size,” said the youngster.  “Ah ,” said the large spider. The large spider went on to explain that if as a spider you choose to stay safe in the dark of the lower branches they will stay small. While others who decide to struggle to the top will eat well and grow strong.

At the top the work is hard but the rewards are plenty. 

“So , you see,” said the large spider, “You can look up in jealousy from place of safety or you can work hard and build castles in the sky.”

It is a bit like living. 

You can potter about with the things you feel comfortable with or you can strike out and try things new and find things to delight the heart. 

Have a good day.