Emily, this is one of the most touchingly beautiful posts I have read, filled with empathy for those creatures we all either ignore or shy away from because... well because they are slimy and not beautiful to the classical or personal eye. But they are there and they have purpose, they have a reason to be and we so often forget this!
The wholesomeness of giving our time and our thoughts, our amazement to everything, small or large, is so present in each of your glorious words and the narration on audio a heavenly calming accompaniment... I absolutely adore your interview with a slug - especially, as a rule, one variety at least is not a creature I adore...
This is beautiful, in every sense, in every sentence. Bless your big wonderful heart 💛xx
PS I will try to be kinder to that variety that eat all my lettuces, peas and cabbage seedlings in future.
Susie, you are so very kind. After reading your comment I was utterly lost for how to respond. I did think of you and your gardening as I wrote. I know these little beings are a frustration for gardeners everywhere, and I have very much not loved them myself in the past. But I wonder how much of our perceptions are driven by what we inherit when we are young and what others tell us about them before we form our own opinions. They are certainly no kingfishers, (and I am now green with envy at your encounter—even considering the naturists!) but my growing obsession with noticing more has given me a different perspective. Sending much love xx
Worth praise lovely, it was such a beautiful piece - I think we inherit many wrong perceptions Emily, and yes, mostly from older members of our family. I try to remember though, they didn't have the world and many of its answers at their fingertips, they believed what their parents told them...That part is up to us.
I leave tiny dishes of beer out for the slugs in my garden, it doesn't kill them but being a little tipsy does seem to rub their hunger!
I went again this evening to try and find that beautiful Kingfisher, of course there was no sign of him, but a pair of mallard ducks have taken up residence instead... and thankfully, no naturists!
love back to you, have a great week - I am back in class first thing! 🙈xx
Beer for the slugs, I like it! I hope that the kingfisher returns (without the embarrassing accompaniment!!) and that you get some respite between days of classes to look again 💖
Your reflection is both deeply thoughtful and beautifully articulated. There’s something profoundly moving about the way you weave together biology, language, and perception, revealing how much wisdom exists.. in the little, overlooked corners of the world… noticing the sacredness in the “mundane”…Thank you for sharing this 🙏❤️
Thank you Sean, your comments are so very kind and thoughtful. I have been struck by how much my own perception of beauty has shifted, and that only recently have I truly appreciated the sacrality of nature, particularly in "the overlooked corners of the world", as you so beautifully say 💛✨
Gah!!!! I’m in love with your words! And the quiet way you became a channel for this beautiful wise creature. Are you familiar with @juliegabrielli and Nature Stack? She’s been curating posts on nature for a while, she should share this one…among so many others you’ve written. She also wrote a few short stories last year that had a nature POV (animal, plant, mineral, whatever), similar to yours here. We need more stories where humans aren’t the main character. Thank you for this stunning, tender, smile-inducing piece.
Kimberly, thank you. I am a little lost for words. I had plans for today that did not involve writing about a slug, but it seemed that I was indeed destined to be a channel for this tiny being.
I have seen Nature Stack pop up a few times and I think I read the last letter. I love so many of the writers you recommend and I have just followed Julie 💛
A beautiful piece of writing Emily, on Everything really! Taking notice, creativity, acceptance, allowing life to thrive, small boxes, small minds, slowing down, expansion, Love. Thank you.
Despite appreciating the beauty in nature I have to say I could never let a slug crawl over my hand! There is something about that feeling! Happy for them to continue on their way doing their thing without my skin being involved though! xx ❤️
Thank you so much Jo, How beautifully you’ve captured the heart of the piece in your words, taking notice, expansion, love.
And I completely understand... it was just a tiny one. I think if it were larger, I may not have let it on my hand. It was definitely strange, cool, damp and almost imperceptible. but I think my curiosity overruled any initial hesitation. I’m quite happy to admire them from a little distance too! 😊 x
I realise upon a re - read that I had a lot of exclamation marks in my last paragraph there regarding slugs. 🤪 Your words - "strange, cool, damp and almost imperceptible..." literally make my skin crawl because I know that feeling! 🤪 And like how they kind of suck onto you a little, suck slide suck slide. Anyway, yes god bless the little cuties and I will leave them for you to cuddle. xx
I am so glad to have discovered you via a post David E. Perry shared. I fell down the rabbit hole of your post archive and was drawn to this one. It turned out to be exactly what I needed this morning. What a beautifully written and deeply compassionate piece. Also, I find slugs to be just darling. I think it’s something about the way their eye stalks embody a slow and steady curiosity.
It's so lovely to connect with you Jamie and thank you for your kind words. I love David's writing and I have found myself drawn more and more towards nature and appreciation of the natural world here. I have always found snails fascinating, but it has taken me a little longer to appreciate slugs, but they are so fascinating, and it was a wonderful way to fall down the rabbit hole for me too, when I wrote this post 💛✨
What a joyful conversation and writing! Thank you for sharing this encounter with the slug, Emily.
(I recently wrote a piece on slugs so was immediately drawn to yours when I saw someone had posted it on notes. You know what they say about great minds. 😉🐌♥️)
Thank you so much for stopping by to read Holly, and for your kind comments. It was such a joy to spend a little time with this little beast and contemplate them - great minds indeed! 💛✨
I am also a gardener but I don't mind the slugs - when I find them in a bed that has small seedlings, I will move them to the compost heap or to a mature flower bed, where they can munch away. The thing is, if the garden is a balanced ecosystem there are creatures that will keep the slug population in check (including other slugs!). We have tiger-slugs and a resident hedgehog who do the job very well 😊.
Anyway... Not really the point, sorry, I get carried away talking about gardening...
I agree with Kimberly below - we need more stories where humans are not the main characters. And you did great giving a voice to this little one. Well done!
Thank you so much Sara, you are very kind. I’m glad that the slugs are relocated to the compost heap or mature flowerbeds, to carry on their important work. How awesome that you have tiger-slugs! And yes, the hedgehogs need to get their juicy meals too! And you’re not getting carried away at all, I love these conversations that occur so spontaneously and delightfully in the comments - they feel like good old fashioned pen pal friendships born anew - thank you.
Everything in nature has it’s place, perfectly balanced, until we interfere. I believe our place in nature, (and our purpose on this planet) is to support and maintain that balance, and to nurture and protect all that it is. I love that this is what you do in your garden ✨💛
Love this... I've written but haven't posted yet, about "slug time". There is a book I have also yet to read by disabled/queer author Ali Palmer called "Slugs - A Manifesto" which is all about what you've touched on here.
I have always loved slugs and I love this interview. So so much. Thank you for bringing gentleness and thoughtfulness to this often maligned creature. 💖💖💖
Thank you Wake, I must admit to not having always loved them, but knowledge and attention has changed that. Thank you for reading and sharing your story and your kind thoughts.
I love that you came to love them. That makes me have hope for the world. The small subtle ability to find the beauty in things. 💖 The possibility that our minds can change. It’s so lovely.
You are very kind Hayley, thank you for taking the time to read and share your thoughts, and it’s also very nice to hear that you enjoyed the voiceover — I have settled into recording them now after doing it for quite some time, but it’s still so odd hearing my own voice! 💛✨
A bit late due to the flu, but boy this is so beautiful. The way this slug thinks. I like it so much. Acceptance. Respect. And such beautiful pictures of it. I see you are enjoying your marcro lens.
I'm really moved by this Emily. It's not just the respect for the slugs (I am a gardener and have a frustrated relationship with them but still am fascinated by their silvery lives) it's the quiet authority that comes through. Inspiring read, thank you.
Kathryn, thank you. That is so very kind of you to share, I’m glad the piece moved you - I hadn’t intended to write a letter about a slug yesterday, but there it was, and the words came. I was thinking of gardeners as I wrote, I know they can be a nuisance! Thank you for sharing your thoughts 💛✨
Emily, this is one of the most touchingly beautiful posts I have read, filled with empathy for those creatures we all either ignore or shy away from because... well because they are slimy and not beautiful to the classical or personal eye. But they are there and they have purpose, they have a reason to be and we so often forget this!
The wholesomeness of giving our time and our thoughts, our amazement to everything, small or large, is so present in each of your glorious words and the narration on audio a heavenly calming accompaniment... I absolutely adore your interview with a slug - especially, as a rule, one variety at least is not a creature I adore...
This is beautiful, in every sense, in every sentence. Bless your big wonderful heart 💛xx
PS I will try to be kinder to that variety that eat all my lettuces, peas and cabbage seedlings in future.
Susie, you are so very kind. After reading your comment I was utterly lost for how to respond. I did think of you and your gardening as I wrote. I know these little beings are a frustration for gardeners everywhere, and I have very much not loved them myself in the past. But I wonder how much of our perceptions are driven by what we inherit when we are young and what others tell us about them before we form our own opinions. They are certainly no kingfishers, (and I am now green with envy at your encounter—even considering the naturists!) but my growing obsession with noticing more has given me a different perspective. Sending much love xx
Worth praise lovely, it was such a beautiful piece - I think we inherit many wrong perceptions Emily, and yes, mostly from older members of our family. I try to remember though, they didn't have the world and many of its answers at their fingertips, they believed what their parents told them...That part is up to us.
I leave tiny dishes of beer out for the slugs in my garden, it doesn't kill them but being a little tipsy does seem to rub their hunger!
I went again this evening to try and find that beautiful Kingfisher, of course there was no sign of him, but a pair of mallard ducks have taken up residence instead... and thankfully, no naturists!
love back to you, have a great week - I am back in class first thing! 🙈xx
Beer for the slugs, I like it! I hope that the kingfisher returns (without the embarrassing accompaniment!!) and that you get some respite between days of classes to look again 💖
Your reflection is both deeply thoughtful and beautifully articulated. There’s something profoundly moving about the way you weave together biology, language, and perception, revealing how much wisdom exists.. in the little, overlooked corners of the world… noticing the sacredness in the “mundane”…Thank you for sharing this 🙏❤️
Thank you Sean, your comments are so very kind and thoughtful. I have been struck by how much my own perception of beauty has shifted, and that only recently have I truly appreciated the sacrality of nature, particularly in "the overlooked corners of the world", as you so beautifully say 💛✨
Gah!!!! I’m in love with your words! And the quiet way you became a channel for this beautiful wise creature. Are you familiar with @juliegabrielli and Nature Stack? She’s been curating posts on nature for a while, she should share this one…among so many others you’ve written. She also wrote a few short stories last year that had a nature POV (animal, plant, mineral, whatever), similar to yours here. We need more stories where humans aren’t the main character. Thank you for this stunning, tender, smile-inducing piece.
Kimberly, thank you. I am a little lost for words. I had plans for today that did not involve writing about a slug, but it seemed that I was indeed destined to be a channel for this tiny being.
I have seen Nature Stack pop up a few times and I think I read the last letter. I love so many of the writers you recommend and I have just followed Julie 💛
A beautiful piece of writing Emily, on Everything really! Taking notice, creativity, acceptance, allowing life to thrive, small boxes, small minds, slowing down, expansion, Love. Thank you.
Despite appreciating the beauty in nature I have to say I could never let a slug crawl over my hand! There is something about that feeling! Happy for them to continue on their way doing their thing without my skin being involved though! xx ❤️
Thank you so much Jo, How beautifully you’ve captured the heart of the piece in your words, taking notice, expansion, love.
And I completely understand... it was just a tiny one. I think if it were larger, I may not have let it on my hand. It was definitely strange, cool, damp and almost imperceptible. but I think my curiosity overruled any initial hesitation. I’m quite happy to admire them from a little distance too! 😊 x
I realise upon a re - read that I had a lot of exclamation marks in my last paragraph there regarding slugs. 🤪 Your words - "strange, cool, damp and almost imperceptible..." literally make my skin crawl because I know that feeling! 🤪 And like how they kind of suck onto you a little, suck slide suck slide. Anyway, yes god bless the little cuties and I will leave them for you to cuddle. xx
Haha!! Brilliant 🤣 probably won’t be cuddling, but rescuing as needed!
I am so glad to have discovered you via a post David E. Perry shared. I fell down the rabbit hole of your post archive and was drawn to this one. It turned out to be exactly what I needed this morning. What a beautifully written and deeply compassionate piece. Also, I find slugs to be just darling. I think it’s something about the way their eye stalks embody a slow and steady curiosity.
It's so lovely to connect with you Jamie and thank you for your kind words. I love David's writing and I have found myself drawn more and more towards nature and appreciation of the natural world here. I have always found snails fascinating, but it has taken me a little longer to appreciate slugs, but they are so fascinating, and it was a wonderful way to fall down the rabbit hole for me too, when I wrote this post 💛✨
What a joyful conversation and writing! Thank you for sharing this encounter with the slug, Emily.
(I recently wrote a piece on slugs so was immediately drawn to yours when I saw someone had posted it on notes. You know what they say about great minds. 😉🐌♥️)
Thank you so much for stopping by to read Holly, and for your kind comments. It was such a joy to spend a little time with this little beast and contemplate them - great minds indeed! 💛✨
I loved this, Emily!
I am also a gardener but I don't mind the slugs - when I find them in a bed that has small seedlings, I will move them to the compost heap or to a mature flower bed, where they can munch away. The thing is, if the garden is a balanced ecosystem there are creatures that will keep the slug population in check (including other slugs!). We have tiger-slugs and a resident hedgehog who do the job very well 😊.
Anyway... Not really the point, sorry, I get carried away talking about gardening...
I agree with Kimberly below - we need more stories where humans are not the main characters. And you did great giving a voice to this little one. Well done!
Thank you so much Sara, you are very kind. I’m glad that the slugs are relocated to the compost heap or mature flowerbeds, to carry on their important work. How awesome that you have tiger-slugs! And yes, the hedgehogs need to get their juicy meals too! And you’re not getting carried away at all, I love these conversations that occur so spontaneously and delightfully in the comments - they feel like good old fashioned pen pal friendships born anew - thank you.
Everything in nature has it’s place, perfectly balanced, until we interfere. I believe our place in nature, (and our purpose on this planet) is to support and maintain that balance, and to nurture and protect all that it is. I love that this is what you do in your garden ✨💛
Best title for a letter ever
Haha!! Thank you Janelle 😍
Love this... I've written but haven't posted yet, about "slug time". There is a book I have also yet to read by disabled/queer author Ali Palmer called "Slugs - A Manifesto" which is all about what you've touched on here.
Oh I love that Lindsay, send me a link or tag me when you publish, I would love to read 💚 thank you
just lovely! 🩵🙏 🐌
Thank you Veronika 💛🐌
Your images are always so wonderful!
Thank you Meaghan 💛✨
I have always loved slugs and I love this interview. So so much. Thank you for bringing gentleness and thoughtfulness to this often maligned creature. 💖💖💖
Thank you Wake, I must admit to not having always loved them, but knowledge and attention has changed that. Thank you for reading and sharing your story and your kind thoughts.
I love that you came to love them. That makes me have hope for the world. The small subtle ability to find the beauty in things. 💖 The possibility that our minds can change. It’s so lovely.
Oh, this was so unexpected when I saw the title, but so profound and beautiful! Thankyou. I really enjoyed the voiceover aswell. 🙏😊
You are very kind Hayley, thank you for taking the time to read and share your thoughts, and it’s also very nice to hear that you enjoyed the voiceover — I have settled into recording them now after doing it for quite some time, but it’s still so odd hearing my own voice! 💛✨
A bit late due to the flu, but boy this is so beautiful. The way this slug thinks. I like it so much. Acceptance. Respect. And such beautiful pictures of it. I see you are enjoying your marcro lens.
Thank you so much Klamo, I am loving the lens! I hope you are feeling better now 💛✨
Yes, still a bit weak, but I'm geting there. The sun is shining and a set of pigeons is courting outsite my window. Tomorrow I'll try a little walk.
Sending wishes for a speedy recovery 💛
Thank you! You are so kind.
I'm really moved by this Emily. It's not just the respect for the slugs (I am a gardener and have a frustrated relationship with them but still am fascinated by their silvery lives) it's the quiet authority that comes through. Inspiring read, thank you.
Kathryn, thank you. That is so very kind of you to share, I’m glad the piece moved you - I hadn’t intended to write a letter about a slug yesterday, but there it was, and the words came. I was thinking of gardeners as I wrote, I know they can be a nuisance! Thank you for sharing your thoughts 💛✨
Beautifully written, and so true!
Thank you Ann 💛✨