Spider webs and the magical vision of children.

My favorite picture of a spider web, frozen in the Nebraskan snows.

What single thing in your childhood brings more wonder and bewilderment than the simple spider web? Spiders are incredible engineers. Just look at the structure and complexity in their webs. Unbelievable. There are multiple kinds of thread used, with differing tensile strengths (that's how much they can hold), and so many patterns its hard to believe a bug (yes, I know they're arachnids, but those are still bugs in my book) makes them. To craft a spider web requires things being done in a certain order, with the right bracings and right timing. I bet most humans couldn't create a web as complex as the meekest spider.

I often wonder why adults lose their wonder at the world. I can't figure it out. What happens to us? Why does the world become stale and uninteresting? Are our lives so filled to the brim with work and other stuff that we utterly miss the glories around us? Sad. We grow up, become responsible, have families, raise children, and shake our heads in complete bewilderment at the antics of our own kids. Maybe it's okay to keep a bit of the child in ourselves. Keep the curiosity, keep the wonder, and keep the starry-eyed optimism.

Adults see the world differently, through the lens of experience and knowledge. There's a reason children don't rule the world. But, keep the child in mind when you see the field of dandelions near your house, or a spider web frozen in the snow. Let the kid inside you loose to dance under the stars. Enjoy the world. There's so much to see. Trust me, take the time to watch a spider weave its web. You'll be glad you did.

- M