In my perfect world I would have taken a wonderful picture of the post I'm about to share.
I did not, so in place of a picture, here are my "a thousand words".
May you see the picture within them!
I don't like spiders.
There, I've said it.
Let me say it again with more emphasis... I don't like spiders.
They have never been invited guests to my gardens. I have actually formed an alliance with all garden snakes, whom I don't really like either:
"All garden snakes may live here
as long as they eat the spiders."
as long as they eat the spiders."
They do quite a nice job, as I rarely see spiders in my garden. But on occasion I do.
One such occasion happened last week as I sat on the grass, carefully removing the debris from the garden's edge. Little children often roam my gardens, so at times, I find all sorts of hidden prizes among the crackling leaves. On this occasion, my eye spotted a curious looking quarter inch bead. It was easy to spot as its brilliant blue seemed to shout "I do not belong in this garden."
I scooped it up with the surrounding debris with my gloved hand for further inspection. I was intrigued by the pattern of indentations on the surface of this little bead, somewhat like that of a golf ball. I brought it closer to my eyes to view the tiny details. As I shifted the handful of debris in my hand to view it more carefully, I quite suddenly became aware that there, in my hand, next to the bead, was a spider. I could not empty my hand fast enough!
As the contents of my hand fell to the earth, I discovered that the spider was actually connected to the bead. "How curious", I thought. As I strained to look closer from my now safe distance, I soon realized that the bead was not a bead at all, rather it was the spiders egg sac.
My first instinct was to step on it... fair consequence for all spiders who enter This Grandmother's Garden. No sooner had I thought the thought when a wave of unexpected compassion spread over me. I found myself pausing... "You can live," I said to this little mama with her expectant babies. I gently replaced the cover of debris in which she was hiding. "You can live." I repeated aloud, somewhat surprised with my actions and I slowly walked away.
I've reflected on this experience several times since its occurrence and each time a smile comes to my face as I feel a sweet connection to this little spider family... to all things living, all creatures great and small, the Lord God loveth all. Hm-m-m... not so sure I can love spiders, but I've certainly taken a step toward tolerance. Is there a greater lesson to be learned here?
Yuck! I would have screamed, but I might have let it live to :). Sounds like a cool bead!
ReplyDeleteWow, blue, really?
ReplyDeleteLove the new signature!
Lovely story! I don't mind spiders in the garden, though they are not welcome in the house and will get relocated if they are found there!
ReplyDeleteAnd God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Genesis 1:26,28. I like the word "subdue." I think I would've imagined a thousand little spiders running all over my garden and I would've "subdued" it! But there's the story of "Charlotte's Web", too and that would've made me think twice. Then I would've "subdued" it!
ReplyDeleteWe must learn to live in harmony with nature, we are all connected. Imagine your own pest control nursery. Thanks for leaving a message on my plot. Have a wonderful day and take care.
ReplyDeleteI have developed the same compassion toward most living creatures -- if I don't faint first, I usually let them live. :)
ReplyDeleteI have featured your blog in my sidebar for the coming week; I hope it will bring you lots of new readers. :)
I used to turn on the porch light at night in summertime to the delight of neighborhood children who could watch spiders in a web from porch rail to gable feeding on bugs attracted to the light. Most of them had mothers who would never allow a spider web to remain near the front door, LOL.
ReplyDeleteI'm not crazy about spiders either...but I tend to tolerate them outdoors. Just don't want them in my hair or my bed. Welcome to the joys of blogging and the wonderful world of Blotanical, too!
ReplyDeleteI figure that spiders fill an important role in the web of life. But they do get evicted into the great outdoors, when they come inside.
ReplyDeleteI'm conflicted about the words "dominion" and "subdue" in the Bible. Not being a student of biblical translation, I can't speak with any authority, but I always figured that God gave mankind the gift of the natural world, with the understanding that we would show our gratitude by taking extremely good care of that gift. I like to think of the word "stewardship" instead of "dominion."
I really don't like spiders- if they come inside the house then they're fair game, I let the ones in the garden live though - maybe they'll eat the nasty flies and mosquitoes that always give me at least ten bugbites during the summer while my sisters escape unscathed.
ReplyDelete