Slow and Steady

People around me know how I feel about owls. But even more than that, I find myself quietly fascinated whenever I watch land snails crawl about.🐌

It’s the rainy season now, and if you live near a bush or shrubs, you’ll notice, it’s their time. Especially at night, they come out slowly, gently, unbothered. And I find myself watching them, wondering…

We are told to look at everything God created and see a glimpse of Him in it. So sometimes, I ask myself: Why did God create the snail?

If I’m being honest, I think one of the reasons is this:

To remind us that it is okay to live a slow life. That It’s okay to come out in your own time and season. It's okay to move at your own pace, still going forward, just not rushed. It's okay to enjoy your quiet, your solitude, your space.

You see, there is something peaceful about a snail.

It is not trying to compete.

It is not trying to impress.

It simply exists… as it was created to.

But then, something else crosses my mind.

There is a parasite called Leucochloridium paradoxum, often referred to as a “zombie snail parasite.”

It invades the snail and begins to control its behaviour. Instead of hiding in safe, dark places, the snail is driven into open, well-lit areas. It becomes more visible, more exposed… more vulnerable.

And why?

Because birds, the parasite’s next host, are drawn to it. So the snail, unknowingly, is being led into danger.

Manipulated. Controlled. Used.

When I think about this, it saddens me deeply.

Because it reminds me that we, as humans, are not so different. We do have things that try to control us too.

Anger.

Pain.

Trauma.

Unforgiveness.

Grief.

Malice.

Envy.

Lust.

Pride.

Greed.

These things can quietly take over our hearts, altering our behaviour and pushing us into places we would not normally go.

They make us act in ways we later regret.

Sometimes, we fight them.

But sometimes… we give in.

And just like the snail, we find ourselves exposed. Not because we wanted to be,

but because something else was in control.

So before i dissappear again, i came to leave you with something to think about:

•What is controlling you?

•What “parasite” is influencing your decisions and your behaviour in ways that are not truly you?

•Can you keep fighting?

Keep fighting. 

P.S. When next you see a snail, please don’t step on it.

If you can, gently move it onto a fresh leaf and let it go. You will notice that it will retract when you pick it up and when it realises it has been set on a leaf, it will come out and crawl away. That leaf will also serve as its food.

Thank you, wash your hands after this. You're doing great💗

#abigailabbasgirl