The Fly and The Spiderweb

On one blistering evening, a fly awoke stuck within a web of silk. It wiggled to get free from its predicament but was unable to move an inch. How did it get here, why is it there and what happens next? These questions rattled the brain of the fly as if it had just been born.

In the corner of the fly’s many eyes emerges a black hairy Spider that slowly creeps up to devour the fledgling insect. The fly quickly speaks to defend itself. “Wait mister Spider, I’m only a small fly. Surely there are more important matters for you to attend to, better meals to capture.”

The Spider stops and answers the pleading fly. “Indeed there are, but I’m tasked with eating all that fall within this web.” “But I don’t know how or why I’m here.” Said the quivering fly. “Everyone who lands here forgets what happened before. I can tell you that all you did was live without a care or thought, which landed you here.” Said the Spider. “What can I do to survive this mister Spider, I don’t want to die.” Said the pleading fly.

The spider lifts one leg to his mouth and thinks for a moment. “Let’s make a deal little fly.” Said the Spider. “If you can give me a reason why your life has value, or your Raison d'être, then I will let you go. If not, I will eat you alive.”

The fly quickly agrees and holds onto the small chance of life given. “You have 4 chances little fly, don’t waste them.” The Spider said to the relieved fly. The fly quickly comes up with the first thing that comes to its mind. “An easy task!” Said the ecstatic fly. “What other reason for my life than to simply survive and flourish on the earth? Every being was made to expand and live by instinct.”

The Spider slowly shakes its head at the quick answer given by the fly. “That reason is why you’re stuck here in the first place. Living without conscious thought, just going on by pure instinct.” The Spider says while taking a step closer to the poor fly.

The fly keeps its composure and thinks of the next thing that comes across its mind. “Then mister Spider, it must be family. I’m sure I have a family waiting for me even if I can’t remember them. Won’t you let me go back to them mister Spider?”

The Spider nods his hand but still refuses his reason. “While that may be a good supporting reason, you need something to keep you going when family or friends are gone. Even more so if your family is not loving to you.” Said the ever-encroaching Spider.

The desperate fly takes a minute to think of a proper reason. It squirms when it finds a suitable answer. “How about meaningful work mister Spider? Either for myself or others, maybe I have a gift that can bring something great into the world. Won’t you let me figure out my purpose before eating me mister Spider?”

The Spider attempts to smile at the fly’s progress. “Closer fly, but a life shackled to a purpose that has no guarantee to be fulfilled or accepted can leave you feeling hollow in the end. Unless you’re willing to be stretched by many life purposes, there needs to be a deeper and more stable reason.”

The fly once shivering with fear, thinks long and hard about his penultimate choice. “Mister Spider, is it enough to want to just be happy? I don’t want to die or suffer when there is so much to do and experience. I know that there are negatives to the previous choices but what else is there?”

The fly looks up at the Spider now towering over it, having taken another step. The fly pleads to the Spider one more time, “Won’t you let me go to experience the chance of happiness mister Spider?” The spider stares down at the brave fly and says, “Is that your last answer?” The fly takes a moment that seems to last an eternity.

The calm fly then says, “If there is no possible value or reason for existence, is that so bad? All I can offer is my desire to live and experience the world with new eyes, if that’s not enough for you mister Spider then eat me because I don’t care anymore.” The spider lifts its sharp leg while the changed fly braces itself. But, the shadow of death never came.

The spider cuts the silk entrapping the insect who begins to fly again. The puzzled Fly asks, “Why did you let me live?” The Spider looks up at the Fly with respect and says, “You thought about your value and faced death unafraid. You have come out of this with more knowledge of what Raison d'être you can choose and their strengths and weakness. No matter what you choose, I think you deserve to live to figure it out, the good and the bad.”

The Fly nods its head and flies off into the distance, this time not mindlessly but with purpose and a greater understanding of what lies ahead.