The question is not a bad version of a “why did the chicken cross the road” joke. The truth is that when traveling in southeastern Colorado in early October, one can easily see more than one tarantula crossing the road. They can grow a leg span of up to 11 inches, so it's hard to miss them.

While it was shocking to learn that the Oklahoma brown tarantulas are common in Colorado's Arkansas Valley, I was relieved to find out that they are not venomous to people. My inquiring mind wanted to know why they were crossing the road.

According to Esther Honig, a reporter for KUNC radio station, the male tarantulas are making a migration to find a female in her burrow. The male will enter the burrow, and they go through a type of ritual where the female chooses if he gets to stay or not. Honig continues that the undisturbed area of the Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands are a prime spot for the migration where the tarantulas are often seen scurrying across the road to reach adjacent grasslands.

I had an encounter with one of these tarantulas. After seeing many cross the road, we pulled over to examine one more closely. He was the size of the palm of my hand, but the more intriguing fact was that he was undeterred by my presence. I tapped the ground ahead of him to cause him to turn directions, but he continued forward. I set my foot beside him for comparison, but he did not veer from his path. Much to my dismay, he continued at a surprising pace to disappear into the grass.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the word “continue” and how it relates to perseverance. In areas of my life, I need to continue on my course with the perseverance of a tarantula. When I want to quit or get tired of persisting, the only thing that is required is to continue moving forward with singular focus. And, it is helpful to remember that a change in life, like a migration, is only for a season. Perhaps this tarantula crossed the road not only to find a mate, but also to provide an inspiration to persevere.