A Strange Lesson

The other day I arose to a beautiful morning, one of those crispy, electric days filled with promise and potential. As I came out of the house I noticed a large web constructed from
a wall to an adjacent bush which was being worked on by a very industrious spider. big guy too. During the night it had taken some hits so spider was doing his morning chores, repairing the damage, getting it fixed up for the day. I stopped and watched him for a while, he was working around the axis, patiently building a new outer layer, going from one end to the otherand then back again, recreating a most elegant structure that was harmonious and strong, binding down the ends to cross-members, considering it for a bit, and then going on to complete the next round of the web. It was quite a large web, measuring about three feet across, I would guess, and it was strategically located so as to snag any unwary insect dodging along. Spider had enough outer rings by now and decided to drop a long vertical to tie into a lower bush, he was coming down , about two feet below the job when out of nowhere there was a flash of wings and a large, fat bluejay came in, snapped him up, flew up and away and was gone. I was startled, horrified, shaken. All kinds of metaphors occured to me. I was rooted to the spot. The web was still there, slightly vibrating and the builder was gone forever. I left and thought about it all day. I still can't get it out of my mind.

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Walter Gabrielson Painter