Worly World

My Uncle, UC, sent me a story he experienced/wrote. It’s a nice little meditation on the importance of the small things and teh connectedness of life. I’m better for having read it, so (with permission) I am sharing it with you here.

worly world

this morning i saved a worm. she lie between two parked state cars and

faced certain death as she tried to traverse the hard, rough, and cold

surface of the parking lot. she would only have made it to the concrete

retaining wall some 30 feet away were she hardy enough to travel that far.

of course, above the concrete was the tall chain link fence topped with

razor wire to keep the inmates in. i watched for a few moments as she

struggled along her way resting every few inches. she still had 27 feet to

go! 3 feet behind her, or in front of her, if a worm is the same at either

end was the curb. i knew of course she wasn’t getting up the curb, but if

she did, she need only travel a few feet across the sidewalk to the moist

rich dirt that was being prepared for the spring planting. as i was

contemplating the divine plan as it relates to her, i had decided to

intervene. i was temporarily thwarted for just as i was about to do

something an officer came out and we started talking. i suppose i did not

feel altogether comfortable with another’s knowledge that i would intervene

in the life of this worm. in any case, he left after a few moments. i

reached down and gently touched the worm. this resulted in her “coiling”

which allowed me to get a grip and pick her up without harming her fragile

body. i placed her, whom i named worly, in the soil and thoughtfully

encouraged her to find comfort in the earth. i watched for several moments

as she traversed the soil. i thought “she must be looking for a proper point

of entry”. she did not seem to be having very much luck. i couldn’t help

but notice that about a foot from where she was lying there seemed to be and

area just right for worly burrowing! i placed her there. i watched as she

slowly disappeared beneath the soil. i mused “what does this mean?” for

surely everything must mean something. i wondered if she knew what had

transpired. if she even knew that she was lifted to sanctuary. what an irony

i thought. that a human entity, a species capable of self awareness, of

visions that exceed the miraculous, fortuitously comes upon this planarian.

this simple life form. this creature who provided an opportunity for a life

saving/sustaining intervention and a pathway to a deeper understanding of

divine purpose! my musing mattered little in the end because i learned

something. i learned that no matter what today would bring, a life was

preserved. somehow, someway, i was priveleged to participate in greatness.

a thread was sewn. i know not the ultimate fruit of this act. would worly

have a family? would there be more worms to nurture the soil? would she

live alone and do her small part in the garden? did she relax as the last

section of her body disappeared under the soil? i know not answers to these

queries but i do know this. this was a great day for me and worly. two

creatures whose paths crossed and whose lives are indelibly connected to our

earth. we did our parts and no matter what happens next for either of us,

this was a great day!

love, peace, and blessings,

corbett