Death of a Snail

Greetings Dear Reader,

Photo by Tash Daniel

The other day my friend Tash posted a picture of three snails. They were moving across some stone and the picture was lovely.  She named the snails Bod, Dob, and Rob.  Dob got accidentally stepped on.

So what is the loss of a single snail on a stone in Australia?  I guess it depends on your view of the universe.  Some people will see it as insignificant.  Some will see it as part of the great cycle of life and death.  Some will embrace the fact that I write about it as a chaos reaction.  To me it is very significant.

You see Dob had a purpose.  I do not know what it was or is.  I do not know how it will unfold in the grand design (yes I believe there is a grand design).  I do know that Dob mattered.  No life is insignificant; even that of an Australian snail.  Jesus told us that not even a sparrow falls from the sky without it being noticed by God.  Either God knows of he does not.  I believe he knows. 

I do not believe the death of a snail will change the weather but I know that if I remember that it matters I will not forget the important things that matter.  Dunn pointed out that every person matters; that “every man’s death diminishes me.”  All life matters.  It is given by God and his alone to take.  There things to be gained in all that exists in the natural world.  How can I love God properly if I do not revel in his creation?

If nothing more, Dob the snail reminded me that all life is precious.  That may have been his purpose.    

The Answer

A Rose, in tatters on the garden path,

Cried out to God and murmured 'gainst His Wrath,

Because a sudden wind at twilight's hush

Had snapped her stem alone of all the bush.

And God, Who hears both sun-dried dust and sun,

Had pity, whispering to that luckless one,

"Sister, in that thou sayest We did not well --

What voices heardst thou when thy petals fell?"

And the Rose answered, "In that evil hour

A voice said, `Father, wherefore falls the flower?

For lo, the very gossamers are still.'

And a voice answered, `Son, by Allah's will!'"

Then softly as a rain-mist on the sward,

Came to the Rose the Answer of the Lord:

"Sister, before We smote the Dark in twain,

Ere yet the stars saw one another plain,

Time, Tide, and Space, We bound unto the task

That thou shouldst fall, and such an one should ask."

Whereat the withered flower, all content,

Died as they die whose days are innocent;

While he who questioned why the flower fell

Caught hold of God and saved his soul from Hell – Rudyard Kipling

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."