“A Walk with Solitude,” Essay by Rachel Winkler

A Walk with Solitude

Essay by Rachel Winkler

I have never been too keen on spiders. It would not be dramatic to say I am on the verge of a phobia. Their bloodthirsty chelicera, pointy abdomen, and sinister eyes have no appeal towards my liking. Needless to say, why should I be so aghast by a creature that has never done me wrong? As I wandered through the woods, this very question surfaced within my mind as the spiders there gifted me not with contentment but with companionship. I invited the spiders to sense my awareness as I watched them protrude from the stacked rocks along the creek bed, swiftly crawling from one stone to the next. Thus, they did not feel the need to hide from my presence as my feet rattled their residence with every step I took. They had no quarrel with me, nor I with them. It was as if the spiders were pleased to share their home. As I stepped downstream, the spiders carried my feet along the piled rocks. Follow us; I believe they wished to tell me. Follow us deeper into solitude. The air felt crisper in these woods, cooler, as the trees captured the rays of the sunshine. We must not stop here, the spiders called to me. There is so much more to see. Indeed, there was. They introduced me to the buzzing bees, the whispering wasps, and busying butterflies. Even so, the trek soon came to an end. The spiders politely escorted me out of the grove, as I did not want to overdo my welcome. On my walk, I was alone, but I was not lonely. I found camaraderie with seclusion, with the spiders. Here, Mother Nature invited me into her solitary abode. She showed me her home, fed me her air, and introduced me to her children. I must have made a lasting impression with her, as she invited me back to visit again. Certainly, I will accept her offer.