Saving Wormy

I have a problem with saving. I probably save too much stuff and not enough money…but my real issue is that I get way too caught up in saving living things. My husband noticed this one day on a lovely walk on the beach. Instead of enjoying the breathtaking views and smelling the amazing combination of ocean, sweat, and sunscreen…I was throwing starfish (before they became sea stars) back into the ocean. I had to save them, all of them.

Nature does not ask us to do this, there were no yelps from the sand screaming “we are here, we are here”. They were not the Whos from Whoville asking for help, it was all in my head. Sometimes it is hard to feel feels so big.

While walking to school today my little guy saw a really healthy worm in the middle of the sidewalk. Kat! A Worm! A sun dried worm corpse flashed before my eyes so I blurted pick it up! save it!…training the next generation of savers and a Swoon in the making. After many attempts he picked it up…and even though I told him worms like mud, he decided worms like swimming in huge puddles more. Bye Wormy, you had a chance on the sidewalk, but now you have been kidhandled and flung into a deep puddle. Sigh, that “save” did not go as I had hoped.

As we walked Dillon explained the facts of worms…if they bite you, you turn into a worm…worms like mud…next time he will leave the worm alone because he didn’t like touching it. Sometimes 6-year-olds are smarter than 55-year-olds. In an attempt to save this plump little guy, I had him drown. This was so NOT going to be a Swoon.

Walking home, knowing I would feel guilty about that stupid worm all day, a miracle happened. There was Wormy, working its way across the driveway to the gardens…to the mud. Sigh. Life was good again. Okay Katharine, leave this poor worm be, you have traumatized it enough…but that isn’t me. Wormy got a nice little ride to the mud and I swear it looked up at me in thanks.

I have no idea what the point is of this Swoon, it is just a moment in time. Maybe my kids will read it someday…my guess is they can identify with the worm. Happy Spring to all.