The Wisdom of Snail
© Kerrie Basha
As our earth becomes parched here with the approaching Summer, after any sudden downpour the snails appear in droves. I sat with a tribe of our local snails last Sunday outside a pretty little soap shop in the country and this is what they taught me.1. Timing is everything. There is no point baking in the sun when you can bide your time in perfect containment for blessed rain.2. Patience is crucial. You need to wait out your demands, your stomping foot, your tapping fingers until conditions are perfect.3. Rely heavily on your senses. They will never steer you wrong.4. Travel your life only with what you need. The Cult of Stuff is an artificial panacea.5. Look after the temple that is your home. It is the only one you have.6. Stay connected to your tribe but cultivate your individual space. Know the boundary between the two.7. Understand that you are an aspect of divine design and gracefully act like it.As they made their way from under the leaves, over the sodden ground to the green grass glinting with raindrops, I think I saw them nod to me and smile. I bowed low to these sacred spirals and thanked them for the lesson. This is the wisdom of snail.
Postscript: When I posted this piece our local country vet informed me that snails are also legendary for making long, languid love for hours. It would seem that truly, snails are all over it!