Lovely Little Spider

Outside our window, hidden by the white of the clouds in the backdrop, was a web in the making.

A spider had a purpose, and that was her abode. The spider first crept to the sides of the window: side-to-side, up and down it went in every direction. Then, once its base was complete, the spider crept in circles, going from line of web to web in perfect balance; with perfect precision it went. Farther and farther out the circles went, until the spider was thoroughly satisfied. Next came the details. Even now, the spider is constantly moving above my head right out the window. What she is doing with her home, I know not. But I do know she has a purpose, as does everything. The web may be knocked off by wind or a broom, but while the spider lives, so does her purpose.

In my way of relating things, I found that the spider is a good way to start up the conversation of purpose: what it is, where it fits in, our purpose in life, our purpose for things. My purpose for this topic is to discuss purpose, so to say.

I’ll begin where I find it best to begin. That is, the meaning of purpose. There are actually a few ways to define it, though, if you want to get technical, they both need each other. At least, in my fantastical echnical sense, its that way! The first is the basic with which every little kid has learned at such a young age. And that is the intentional purpose; the purpose where kids can say
“Mom! Timmy just bit my finger again!! On purpose!!”
The second can be defined as an existence of reason of purpose. Reason of purpose is like the lovely little spider (this is a lot to say, being that spiders give me the creeps; I’ve always a fond fascination for them, though) that has set her goals- her whole life even- to just her little spider web. Alice, when talking to the depressed turtle in “Alice in Wonderland” realizes about purpose when the turtle explains that when a school of fish set off for somewhere else, they are to be asked “With what porpoise?” (haha, get it?) But seriously! By the reason, I mean that we have something in our mind, like a home in the making. Its almost a wanting, and it makes us strive. We strive for something, so we intentionally work for it (see how they can kind of go together?).
Now that the definition is (hopefully) explained adequately enough, I wish to discuss purpose. First, intention! Not that I really want to get into detail with this, but I just wish everyone to question our intentions…for everything! I read a book (Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris) that discussed arguments and the intentions that begin them. I just wanted to bring up what quickly came to mind. And what had come to mind was grievances.

There is always an intention for something: an outcome, or a reason, so to say. What came to mind was that when something was bothering someone, that someone would want to “get it to stop.” But there are two ways at how that can happen. When a person is about to try to talk to someone about something they don’t like, they already have the reason for purpose. Then comes the intention. The common way is when a person confronts the bother-er in an bad fashion (usually found in the middle of arguments too):

“Whenever we’re there you always have to make this remark. And it always bothers me and it makes you look stupid when you say it and there is no need to even say it over and over and over again. Sometimes your big fat mouth just gets the better of you and you make a fool of yourself.”

Now what is purpose of that? Was the intention of this paragraph to edify the bother-er, or to just put him down so that you may feel better about something bothering you. Why not try it a different way to make it sound like an offering hand rather than a piercing tongue? I just wanted to bring that up because---I know with me anyways-- the piercing tongue is found very often. Hopefully a new look on our intentions may help us to become better people?

And then of course I shall end it with our--humanity’s-- purpose, for I fear I am dragging this post too long. St. Bernard says our life here on Earth is to glorify God as much as we can! It is the existence-of-reason purpose that makes us live for a goal. Sure, we’re meant to be married or clerical, a lawyer or a theologian, but our Ultimate Purpose is to serve God in everyway we can! I enjoy thinking about that often, because it calls to mind our duty in life, despite the distractions of jobs and friends and plans. We always need God on the end of a rope. And we always need to be pulling that rope.

Like the spider and her home. So it is us and God.



Cheers

Damien

If there are any questions or anything I need to make clearer, feel free to ask.