I must have been a Buddhist in my previous life. For the life of me, I cannot harm any insect as I gain consciousness that they are sentient beings, too, just like me. For one, they are the best gardener. They toil the earth and that’s all they do. A single act that causes the garden to flourish. So, when I see an earthworm that lost its way, I make sure that I move it to the earth and grassy spot where it can burrow itself into the ground.
Under the grass are ignorant, as they eat the earth,
Of the good they confer on us, that their silence
Isn’t a silent reproof for our bad manners,
Our never casting earthward a crumb of thanks
For their keeping the soil from packing so tight
That no root, however determined, could pierce it? Imagine if they suspected how much we owe them,
How the weight of our debt would crush us
Even if they enjoyed keeping the grass alive,
The garden flowers and vegetables, the clover,
And wanted nothing that we could give them,
Not even the merest nod of acknowledgment.
A debt to angels would be easy in comparison,
Bright, weightless creatures of cloud, who serve
An even brighter and lighter master. Lucky for us they don’t know what they’re doing,
These puny anonymous creatures of dark and damp
Who eat simply to live, with no more sense of mission
Than nature feels in providing for our survival.
Better save our gratitude for a friend
Who gives us more than we can give in return
And never hints she’s waiting for reciprocity. Worms by Carl Deniss
That’s a good way of explaining life: everything on this earth has importance.
(Been catching up. I am no early bird though, if you catch the drift. Hahaha!)
If you think you are catching up, I ‘m way behind in responding to comments. The worms got away from us. Ha ha ha ….
I’m on it right this minute. 🙂
As a farmer that is your best friend. 😛
If the buggy critters stay outside they live…come inside and they die. I know that is rather mean but I do warn them. It’s their choice.
This critter won’t be able to climb your Penthouse.
They kinda creep me out. Like spiders, too. However, I too appreciate them. By “doing their thing” they certainly do good! Great post, P! Have a great week! 🙂
But you are gardener, TK. Surely you are used to creepy crawlers. 😛
Gloves, Seeker, gloves! Garden gloves! LOL 🙂
ah cee says the blind worm.
🙂
Earthworms are wonderful. 🙂 I try not to harm creatures and always take care of the earthworms.
They are so fascinating how they manage to survive with no feet and hands. 😛
Beautiful. Oneness. Love this reminder of who we all are. 😉
We are all sentient beings.
Awh, bless! What a wonderful way to start my day; I can feel the connectedness energy in your posts, and this is no exception. Thank you, my dear, for providing me with a terrific beginning to a day that I feel will be filled with much preponderance of all sentient beings! Hugs, Cher xo
You are welcome, angel.
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Lovely. I have taken a precept to “refrain from harming living creatures.” I would never harm a worm but I find slugs more troublesome. They used to become victims of my beer traps. Now they get transported to the field across the road.
I once wrote a parable about worms. Maybe I will post it.
Yikes, those slugs are so slimy. I do the same thing, I move them out to a different spot far far away. Read your parable, Sarah. That is a good one.
Thanks. Yeah, slimy, and they like to eat all of my tenderest plants.
I love them too, doing all more organic farming with their help in some bins near my kitchen- amazing creatures!
Ah, organic farming. Fantastic!
My father taught me at a very young age if one wants to garden then be gentle with the earthworms so they can help us. All insects had their place in my father’s world… except the mosquito and wasp, then it was every man for himself! 😉
Mosquitoes love sweet blood and the wasp vinaigrette scent. Your father taught you well.
Granny does the same, Seeker, they’re helpful in the gardenand when they’re lucky they survive, but when Blackbird is coming, or Hermeline, they have a problem… Pawkisses for a Happy Day 🙂
The birds have to eat, too, Binky. As long as you chase them birds away, you are my hero. 🐱