Bravery

Whew, busy days.




So, now I must share my tale of daring feats and my gallant charge into the face of utter peril and danger.
 I was sitting on the couch reading the wonderful and captivating book The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (excellent read as is her other series the Mortal Instruments) during my brief break from housework. My sweet adorable two year old daughter was playing with the dog (well, trying to milk her like a cow to be more precise) and was squealing with unadulterated delight. I look up to watch this smile inducing display when out of nowhere a GIANT (literally the size of a silver dollar) spider scuttles across the living room floor and pauses beside the coffee table.

Now, I must inform you that I am extremely terrified of spiders. Heck, if I am aware of one in the room with me I will run to another room and hide there until the infernal thing is killed. So, you can imagine the rapid pace my heart had adopted at the sight of this monstrosity. But, alas, I was home alone with my daughter and my husband wouldn't be home for another three hours.

I knew we wouldn't survive that long if I did not take action.

So against all of my screaming flight instincts, I took my Doc Marten boot (they are perfect spider killers due to their immense weight) from the closet, crept slowly to the coffee table and climbed on top of it. I told my daughter to get on the couch and stay until momma says it is okay to get down. Shaking like a dried leaf in a November windstorm, I positioned my boot above the beast and with a final breath of air, and hopefully courage, I dropped the boot down hard and ended with a mighty twist of the fist.

I pulled the boot up and looked down at the crumpled corpse, adrenaline still burning through my body. I poked it with a nearby lollipop stick, and it MOVED! Not just a twitch but a jump. Oh heaven above, I cannot take this! Dropping the boot again I twisted and ground the thing into the plush carpet until legs were coming off. I poked it again and when I finally was satisfied that it was not going to move again, I grabbed seven tissues and plucked it from the carpet fibers and flushed it down into the great toilet oblivion.

If I had been completely alone, I know I would have fled, but since I needed to protect my child, I had to swallow my fear and dig down to replace terror with bravery. It was our only chance. In moments of great trials is when we truly see our greatest attributes. Though, I assure you, I pray this will be a one time occasion.

Oh, and after my panic that it was a hobo spider, upon researching native Idaho spiders I discovered it was a grass spider that apparently is RARELY seen indoors. I don't think he got that memo...