Swirling

A delicate little arachnid fell into a swirling flood in my master-bath tub enclosure yesterday. I saw her there in struggle mode as the water began to fill the tub. I attempted a rescue, trying to get this dainty creature to higher ground where she could get a foothold and catch her breath.

Success! A gentle spray of water allowed her to rest on a place in the tub that was slightly higher than the rushing waters, providing her a place on higher (porcelain) ground.

But it was too late. Still I hoped and continued to monitor her condition as I hurriedly got ready for work. Looking for any small sign of revival, perhaps even one of her eight spindly legs had repositioned or, best case scenario, she had recouped and slowly crept away. She just needed a bit of time to recover. “She’s going to make it,” my heart said.

But she had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. This delicate creature had done nothing foolish to endanger herself. For her it was just another day at the office until the human turned on the waterworks. She had been the faithful guardian there, keeping any vagrant ant from establishing a major thoroughfare. And never had she harmed me in any way.

Just a spider right? But I felt compelled to rescue a living thing that was struggling for its life.

Sadly we can’t always “right the ship” or save the day for someone who is struggling; who is drowning due to circumstance. But if it is in our power to do the least bit of good, after first putting on the airline oxygen mask ourselves, we must act in a helpful way or else pray in earnest for a heart of compassion to replace our negligent, uncaring or overly cautious one.

In regards to our fellow human beings it is a golden opportunity to transfer the powerful emotion of empathy and care to others.

This may mean that our own agenda goes briefly on hold but it may also mean that a soul finds rescue. They come in all shapes and sizes.