Spiderwebs

A spiderweb is my new stop sign. Without the bright red to let me know it’s there. That’s why it works because even the brightest and obnoxious thing doesn’t always capture my full attention. I can easily read, listen to music and work out at the same time so missing a sign or less than obvious marker in my daily journey would not be that unreasonable. What can I say- I’m of the “Generation of Over-stimulation. (With names like that, School House Rock might make a little song about us…)

Spiderwebs, on the other hand, demand attention. They cover my face, stick to my body, and will remain until I peel and shake them off. Somehow, I end up with remnants of the web on me until I take a shower or wash my socks. It’s really quite gross. On top of their ridiculously sticky nature, spiderwebs somehow span all sorts of space. Spiders have an amazing ability to string a web from a tree branch to a shrub five feet away and usually across a path of open space. If their web is destroyed one afternoon, they will rebuild the next morning.
I have tried to predict these behaviors during my morning runs. Thankfully, I’ve found a pretty spider-free path, but on those rare occasions when I want different scenery, I literally run into a world of webs. In addition to my desire for a mix of sights, I usually take such routes in order to think, pray, or slow down a hectic pace of life. These goals are always easier said than done, so the spiderwebs remind me of the goal at hand. Right as my mind starts wandering, I walk right into a blatant, INVISIBLE sign that says “FOCUS!” And then I have to grapple with the web until I feel void of the sticky strings. At this point, I’m still working on not getting frustrated by these unforeseen obstacles, but with two-day spiderweb striking streak, I can’t help but move beyond the initial and superficial discomfort of the webs and refocus.

It certainly takes discipline to pay attention even though these sticky signs do a good job of being annoyingly up-front and in my face. I’m trying to understand and make changes according to what the signs are saying. I’m working at focusing on the things on my heart rather than burying them under all the flashing lights, busy days, high def movies and ever constant demands from people as "Gen OS" dictates. I better because stop signs and spiderwebs are much less invasive or devastating as say snake bites, stomach pains, or being swallowed by a whale.