Thursday, November 19, 2009

A day with a spider.


I had a special moment the other day. As I stood outside the campus contemplating my life I looked at the building in deep thought. I felt backed into a corner, restricted. I had made a mistake, I ditched to hang out with a dear friend. Worth it? I would say so. As I watched the smoke pour out of my mouth and spill onto the picnic table in front of me something caught my eye; a small black widow spider dangling in front of my vision from the umbrella of the table.
With every breath I rocked him easily back and forth like he was laying in a hammock made of tobacco smoke.

The spider then started to climb down his web towards my shoulder. I didn't feel afraid, I felt very welcoming in fact. He had to be cold, I was freezing.

The spider then rested on my shoulder until I was done smoking. It stayed on my shoulder as I walked through the school watching all the people that seem so different from me. So many worries and cares that I couldn't have. These people are so different but if I am genuine some will hear out what I have to offer to their lives, the only gap between us is confrontation.

I suppose the gap between me and them could be like the gap the spider would have to leap to make it from my shoulder to theirs. I could see why he liked to recoil into the comforting grooves of the folds in my sweater. The warm fabric, why should he even go so far as to jump? Why should I go so far as well with these people?

I'm sure they had greater things on their minds, most people generally don't want to be bothered with confrontation. Unless it's with the right people.

The spider stayed with me while I told my excuse to my professor, he stayed with me when I drove in my car. He liked a certain spot in particular, that left shoulder. I liked him there too, he found a comfortable niche where he could watch the world go by in ways he never experienced before. The spider stayed on my shoulder when I went into my friends apartment and told the story;

“Wait, that thing is still on your shoulder now?? Why would you want a black widow on your shoulder?”

“yes it is. I'm not sure, he just wanted to be here I guess.”

My response was left with some ambiguity. I always feel like that makes life more interesting, giving someone something a little more to find out.

The spider watched me finish my painting and did not move an inch. He inspired so much out of me that day and still does.

Before I left to my next class I went out to my friends balcony. I'm not sure how he knew it was time to go but when I put my hand up to my left shoulder his little legs graced my hand, tickling my nerves. I put my hand out and he dangled off with a new web. I guided his travel to the wall and he found a new home between the shingles.

I didn't give him a name because he didn't need one. Why give something a name that can't name you back? Besides everything has a name that can etched within our minds by incurring some sort of feeling.


So I suppose the spiders name would probably be cherish then.

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