Mindless destruction
We live in a 130-yr-old home with a field stone foundation. So, we have spiders living there. It isn’t a problem, in my opinion. I ask them to confine themselves to the basement and mostly they do. It works for me. Mostly it seems to work for them too.
Today I was sweeping up the basement floor. In doing so, I noticed a thick mass of webs between our upright freezer and the outside wall. Unthinkingly, I stuck the broom in the gap and swiped around. And it worked fine to clear out the webs.
It had another side effect, one that was untended. As I continued to sweep the floor, I noticed a daddy long legs dragging itself across the floor toward me. I watched for a few seconds and was chagrined to see two of his legs were broken. He was never going to be able to move well again.
And this was the result of my thoughtless haste. I had merely gone after what I wanted without thinking about how it might affect anyone else.
As he crawled painfully toward me, I knew he wanted to be released from his pain and disability. After wishing him a speedy blessing, I helped him go. It was the least I could do after being the author of his destruction.
This put me in a thoughtful mood. How else might I be a destructive force without even realizing or actively intending it? I know some of us have seen the recent hurricanes as a malevolent force, depriving people of life, health, safety, and belongings. Is that how other creatures might view me? The idea was chagrining.
Today’s message asks me to be more aware of the impact of my actions, large or small, on the rest of Creation. Yes, I need to take care of my own needs. But there likely is a way to do so while protecting the collective good.
Please reflect and share. How might you be unwittingly (or intentionally) a destructive force?