Ordinary Miracles

I watched the new "Charlotte's Web" for the first time this morning. I read the book in second grade and grew up watching the cartoon movie. I didn't understand what the whole story was about until I saw this movie, many years after I had last seen the cartoon.

My favorite part of the whole movie is when Fern's mother speaks with the doctor because she is concerned that Fern put the words into the web.

She says to the doctor, "I know everyone is saying it's some kind of miracle, but..."

"But what? You don't think it is?" replies the doctor.

"Do you?"

"The web itself is a miracle. Wouldn't you agree?"
Fern's mother shrugs.

"Well, can you spin one?" asks the doctor.

"I can crochet a doily," she responds.

"Because someone taught you how. Nobody teaches a spider. They just know how to spin a web. Don't you think that's a miracle?"

I don't often see a fully spun web, but I saw one outside our apartment yesterday. It was about a foot in diameter, and it was the most complete web I've ever seen. There was a light breeze, and the large, brown spider hung right in the middle of the web, waiting for the breeze to toss a bug into its trap. Aaron and I paused for a few moments and enjoyed the little miracle.

When the rat deliver's Charlotte's third word, radiant, to spin, Wilbur admires the western sky. "Here it comes. It did this yesterday. Look that way, everyone! Right towards that cloud!" As the sun sinks below the horizon, the sun's rays appear and shoot brilliant light across the sky.

"Good gracious," says one cow.

"Has it always done that?" asks another cow.

"No, it can't have," replies the first cow.

Ordinary miracles happen often. Since I've started looking for them, my world has become a more amazing place.