Do you like spiders? I grew up in the city, and didn’t encounter too many of them until I moved to California. As I became more familiar with them, I couldn’t help but admire the webs they created – especially in the morning when they were glistening with dew.

This morning I was going for a stroll in the garden when I accidentally walked through a spider web strung between two trees. I should have known that would happen – I had accidentally walked through that same spider’s web half a dozen times. The industrious little creature just kept rebuilding. “Hey!” I whispered into the trees. “Build a little higher next time!”

October and November are “spider months” where I live, or at least it’s the time when I notice more of them than usual, so that wasn’t the last web I encountered on my walk. Luckily, the others were safely off to the side of the path, and I was able to pass without damaging them. I stopped to check out a large, perfectly symmetrical one. I admired it for the engineering marvel that it was, asking myself “How do spiders know how to build a web? Is that classic spiderweb pattern imbedded in their consciousness? Do spiders ever learn from their experiences, and build in a safer spot after their web is destroyed? “

I sat down for a while to enjoy the morning air, and a thought came to me, as if whispered in my ear from one of my guides – or maybe a philosophical spider. “Life is a spider’s web, and each of us is responsible for weaving our own… “

What a concept! The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Here are just a few insights that occurred to me:

• Like the spider, the threads we spin connect in a beautiful pattern. Your actions, thoughts, karma, the love you send out, your intentions, all come together to create the fabric and texture of your life on earth – and beyond.
• The spider is self-contained, miraculously spinning its web from material that comes from within. The universe provides the thread and the know-how, but to build a safe home the spider must decide where to build, and have the persistence to rebuild when its web is broken. Nature gives us many gifts as well, and the wisdom to use them wisely – but your strength and resilience determines your ultimate success.
• Does the spider cry and curse when their web is broken? I’ve never heard one say a thing! I like to believe that the spider knows that challenges are there to teach lessons. Does the spider decide to build higher or use a stronger thread if conditions are treacherous? I don’t know about spiders, but I do know that the lessons you learn on earth are what allow you to grow and evolve as a soul-being.
• A spider spends his days on his web, using it to catch the insects that provide nourishment, but you never see a spider caught in its own web. The life you create for yourself should fill your earthly and spiritual needs, but don’t get entangled in it by trying to control everything. Don’t get too attached! Trust in the universe, and know that your life on earth is just a small part of your journey.
• A spider doesn’t step back and see the whole web while it’s building it, and you might not see the pattern of your life as it unfolds. But trust that as you look back upon your life, if you learn lessons, spread love and tap into your soul wisdom the design you see in your life review will be beautiful and perfect.

I hope you enjoyed these thoughts that were inspired by my morning walk. Who would have thought so many ideas could spring from my encounter with a tiny eight-legged creature? There’s so much nature can teach us if we just take a moment to sit in the stillness and listen. I hope you’ll spend a little time outdoors and see what you can learn –  not just from the spiders, but from the birds building their nests, or the squirrels storing nuts for the winter!