Love and Spiders

J. P. Devine’s rueful bit of nostalgia did not get an understanding smile out of me. He didn’t want to kill spiders but he did so to earn his daughter’s gratitude and expressions of love.

I know the article was meant to be humorous but I think the subject merits more than easy humor.

Devine could have himself learned about spiders and then seen to it that his daughter gained understanding. Instead he catered to her ignorance.

If his daughter was indeed worth making sacrifices for, she would ultimately have given him a truer, deeper love for caring enough to help her over her fear.

It’s true he would have had to wait for it; she would have had to grow up. I wish he had waited.

CATHERINE McEWEN

Whittier