Laundry Spider

Originally uploaded by laundrylessons.

Do you know people who seem to weather the greatest storms with composure and grace? They smile through potty training, are calm in the ER, and never yell at their husbands who wait until the last minute to pack for vacation. Resiliently, they bounce through life, never hitting rock bottom with a thud.

This spider in my washing machine made me think of some of the people I know who take on the spin cycle, daring it to dampen and mangle their hopes, and always come crawling out on top of the load. Some of my friends and family have been swirling through the heavy duty cycle and they are positive, if not enjoying the ride, at least not drowning in the whirlpool. After what I’m sure was a rigorous ride, this spider presented himself in my finished wash, clean and unharmed.

People with fortitude often ask God along for the ride, never fully succumbing to bad fortune because they have great faith in a higher plan. But even the best of us Christians falter and sour and get stuck in great tidal waves of grief or just really long days with a bunch of kids hogging the computer or swiping cookies before dinner. We lose it.

But these special people, these spiders, they ascend from broken-down cars and slim bank accounts with a joy that says, “I may be down, but I won’t let it get me down.” The spider has eight legs to propel him quickly, and that crazy web-building skill, but we usually lumber along, slipping and sliding back down in our pits. We’ve been dealing with Merritt, our extremely disabled daughter, for six years now. Some people look at me like the spider, but it took me awhile to crawl out and see all the good and beautiful stuff.

Ahh, but maybe there lies the secret of the resilience; I had to look in the face of adversity for a bit, check out the wrinkles, creases and zits, and say, “You may be ugly, but I’m not afraid,” and “I won’t let you consume me,” and “I’m turning you over to God.” I hope if you’re spinning, circling the drain, or even just soggy, that you’ll float to the top soon, drawing on the strength of your faith or friends or a really great spider.