Sorting through fresh garden spinach a family had dropped off to our homeless centre I came across a small snail. I noticed it was still alive and dropped it into a planter on the cold counter with thoughts of releasing it. Before going home I looked but could not find it. I feared the worse, thinking it had climbed a leaf and fallen to the floor. I held out a hope the snail would find it’s way outdoors despite the hundreds of feet that cross our floors.
A week went by and I went over to water the plant when something caught my eye. It was the snail clinging to a leaf. Somehow, with a fierce tenacity, it had managed to return to the planter, it’s only chance to survive. I was ecstatic and sniped the leaf to bring home. I took a few photos, nervous to cause the snail any further trauma, and my husband brought it back to the great outdoors. It is amazing how we can feel so much tenderness toward a small and helpless creature that ultimately proves it has strengths beyond our comprehension.
© Zora Zebic 2016
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