Who is the Bart in your life?

I’ll share a little secret with you – as long as you promise not to tell the children.  Okay? Good.  Here it goes … In Art the Spiffy Spider, Art realizes his dream of finding a friend.  There, the beans are spilled.

After Art leaves his rather pleasant home and garden, his world becomes sadder, darker, and more and more lonely.  All he wants is a friend who will like him for who he is – a really nice guy.  That’s not too much to ask for, is it?  To be liked is something everyone wants in life.  Surely, no one wants to be shunned or ostracized for being who they are, no matter how different they are from “the norm”. 

Art ends up in a dreary, rundown place. A derelict shed, surrounded by garbage and broken dreams.  Yet he settles down to sleep, tired and rather hopeless, but willing to make the best out of an unfortunate situation. 

Cheery, optimistic Bart

So imagine his surprise when he wakes up and finds another spider greeting him with the rising sun. Yes, this is where Bart joins the story.  The expression on Bart’s face during that unexpected meeting pretty much sums him up.  He’s simply one cheery, optimistic spider.  Exactly what Art needs.

Just by looking at Bart, it is obvious that he’s been living rough for some time.  His coat is torn and patched up.  His hat is broken and shabby, yet he wears it with pride.  Perhaps he used to be a spiffy spider just like Art.  And maybe, just maybe, he left his home once upon a time to find a friend himself.

Still, in this rather dark and desolate place, Bart has clung onto something for a very long time. Hope. And that hope shines and shimmers in his stunning silver platter, which most likely came with him from wherever it was he used to call home. 

He’s kept it perfectly polished, ready to use for whenever a potential friend should finally show up.  Or maybe he’s kept it pristine so he could just see his hopeful face in its reflection, and maybe so he wouldn’t feel so alone.

By now Art is quite frustrated about his insect diet and the happiness this has cost him.  He doesn’t really want to join Bart for breakfast, but Bart isn’t having any of his self-pity.  His jovial attitude convinces Art that they are what they are – spiders.  And that’s okay. 

Their friendship soon blossoms and no doubt, they will be friends for life.  Bart has shown Art what happiness is like, when you are true to yourself and not pressured into being something you’re not. 

I hope young children will grasp this story, this theme, and hold it close to their hearts.  Their journey is just beginning and as parents, we need to encourage them to become their own person, and not give in to the pressure (and sometimes even the bullying) that surrounds them. 

Indeed, we all need someone like Bart in our lives whether we are 4-years old or 84.  And there’s nothing too shabby about that.