Charlotte

I have to make a decision. I’ve been fretting over it for a few days now. Should I welcome Charlotte into our home or not? My heart is torn and it is almost comical because it wasn’t the kids who brought her home. Technically, no one brought her home. She sort of….showed up. But kids don’t know about her yet. I’ve been selfishly hoarding her to myself. I even named her “Charlotte”, the only name I knew for a spider.

See, just like the one in the book, my Charlotte is clever. Although she has yet to write some earth-shattering message on her web, she has managed to build her web in the very best place possible–right beside my porch light. When I turn on the light for her, all the moths and bugs would fly right into her web. Then I watch in amazement her God-given talent of catching her prey.

The down side in all this is that her web is right at my head level, so it is very likely that one day, someone’s (probably mine) head will get stuck in it. Plus it does look rather trashy…which does not serve my ‘clean freak’ nature too well. Thus the dilemma. I thought about moving her, but that would take away the very best thing about Charlotte’s presence.

Maya and I read “Charlotte’s Web” a while back. It became one of her favorite books. The book describes in great details about how the webs are built and how a spider would catch its prey. Of course, we cried at the end when Charlotte died.

I think I will keep her. Tonight, I’ll let my kids in on my little secret and watch one of God’s amazing creatures go to work. I’ve always wanted to raise children with curiosity and wonder towards the world around them. Children who would not say, “ewww” to a spider but see beauty in them. I guess this is my opportunity. The decision seems so easy now.