September is for spiders. They always show up around this time of year, spinning their webs, catching their prey. And this year, we have two enormous orb weavers at the front door, and 3 joro spiders at the back door. Needless to say, we’ve been finding creative ways to get in and out of the house.

The husbear really dislikes spiders, but I’ve always found them fascinating, and have been spending time watching the orb weavers create their webs anew every night. Spiders symbolize fate, destiny, and the web of life. Each of us has our place on the web, and each string we pluck (with our actions, words, and even thoughts) reverberates throughout the web, affecting everyone else around us. The web symbolizes that connection we all share and our interdependence. It also symbolizes the homes we build for ourselves, and sometimes tear down and rebuild.

In ancient Greek myth, the Moirai (or Fates) were Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Clotho spun the fibers of our individual lives, Lachesis wove them into the tapestry of the world, and Atropos measured out our life spans and cut the thread when it was time for us to pass on. All of these activities can be compared to the spider weaving her web, and thus the connection to fate and destiny.

In Ghana, there was a spider god named Anansi, who ruled over stories, knowledge, and creation. Though he was known as a trickster god, he was also known for ‘weaving’ stories about his exploits. When slaves were brought to the New World, Anansi became the Haitian Voodoo Spider Woman named Aunt Nancy.

Pueblo Native Americans saw their Spider Woman as the creator of the universe, mother of the sun and moon, and later Kiowa myth transformed her into Spider Grandmother, who brought light and fire to the world.

As for me, spiders always show up when my writing is going really well. Maybe that has more to do with the time of year, and September being really good for writing, but I’m a superstitious person. I choose to think that spiders are a kind of animal guide for my writing. As they spin their webs, I spin my tales, etc. This year is no exception.

So to me, spiders are always good luck, and are meant to be left alone. Even if that means we have to sneak in and out of our house without disturbing their webs. May the luck of the spider grace you this early Autumn too! <3