Guest

Since being outside more with the nicer weather, I’ve had quite the number of guests who’ve led me to go inside my head.

Whether it is performing or workout, reading a book, or eating a meal, I keep getting interrupted with a new guest. It seems like whenever I go to reach for my camera too, they are shy and quick to run, crawl and fly away.

There was an exception though - Spencer the Spider. I tried googling how to tell the difference between a male and female spider and one would have to flip the spider upside-down as a female has her reproductive opening on her abdomen and closer to the front and darker in color. A male on the other hand has testes under the abdomen which he then spins a small silk mat and syphons the sperm and delivers it to the female. I gave a brief version – more can be found on museumsvictoria.com page.

Back to Spencer.

Every time I go out to eat lunch, there is a table that I go to on the deck that overlooks a big forest in our backyard. Before I sit down, I always check to see if there are any spiders around, not just Spencer.

If there are (which is rarely the case), I simply let them be and sit on the steps or pull out one of the bigger chairs to outdoor dining table which is a little less comfortable. However, there usually aren’t any spiders at this table, just a lovely pot arranged with vibrant red flowers. I sit down and start chomping away at my meal.

Now I’ve picked up a good flow with eating and am getting to a good part of one of my favorite Podcasts, and sure enough, here comes my guest. Spencer!

It usually starts with a notice of each other and friendly, silent hello. I take one more bite and try to catch what is being said on the podcast. Then Spencer always takes a step or two forward. At this point, I tug at the plate to create some vibrations on the table and show him that I am alive. Even though I may be a little bit uncomfortable with any closer distance, I am alive and would appreciate if we both stuck to our respective sides of the table. Spencer is kind, but he never seems to listen with this.

Now he’s added about ten steps to his approach and my gaze gets more intense. We usually give one more stare down and then I politely tell him, “Fine, it’s your table, have a great rest of your day!”

Who knows what Spencer’s intentions were and I’m sure they were good, but for some reason I rather just let him have the table and me be at peace at the other table. Even if there is something lingering beneath my seat.

The thing is, and my mind starts wondering – it is not just the pot of flowers, or the table, or even the deck. What about the whole backyard? What about the whole forest behind the backyard? What about the whole state, country, planet, universe?

Whoa, I just took it there. The reality looks to be though, that we are all sharing this life with one another. Whether it be plants, insects, animals, all living beings are sharing space. That naturally will make things uncomfortable, but that also brings much magic into the world.

So, the same way I can have wasps flying around me or a butterfly or some insect I don’t even know, land on me, we are all in this together. Everyone is entitled to space which ultimately means no one is entitled to one space. This is beautiful.

And this is wildlife.