Shining requires resiliency.

On Saturday night Richard and I went to dinner and a movie.  When we got in the car to return home, I noticed that the spider, who two days earlier took up residence in my side view mirror, was back.  I couldn't believe it.  I just assumed he met his fate on Thursday morning when I cruised down Highway 121 at 60 miles an hour.

I was wrong.

Two days and countless miles later, this spider was still committed to building a web that stretched from the side view mirror to my driver's seat door.  I quickly went from being indifferent about the spider to being his ardent supporter.  The whole way home, Richard and I rooted the spider on as he weathered the storm by contracting into the tiniest ball he could.  So amazed were we at the tenacity and resiliency of the spider, and his web, that we made it our mission to assure his safe arrival home.

Here's why I think the spider won us over.

He worked hard.  Despite the elements and all the adversity, the spider continued spinning his web.  He didn't crumble or give up on Thursday morning when - in my self-absorbed state - I fled down 121 in search of my Starbucks coffee.  Instead the spider hunkered down, believing the wind storm would end and that things would eventually get better.  He was resilient.  He believed in his web more than he believed he was entitled to an easy ride.  The spider didn't sulk and pack in his silk the minute he realized I didn't care about his cause.  Instead he laid low, quietly going about his business and focused on his mission.

The spider won me over with his willingness to work hard and to weather the wind storms.  In short, he was resilient.

It's a nice allegory for life.

In a world where we have come to expect quick results and immediate gratification, how resilient are we?  When we are traveling down the interstate at 60 miles an hour, hanging on for dear life, do we let go or do we hunker down and hang on?  When things don't go as planned, do we sulk while feeling entitled to an easier ride or do we remain committed to our goal?  When people pay our ideas as little attention as I paid the spider on Thursday morning, do we feel sorry for ourselves or do we remain committed to the creation of our web? 

Visit us in the Community Forum labeled Today's Post and tell us about the web you are weaving.

Shining off until tomorrow...