Glogging

If you’ve ever bothered to look at the ground after it’s rained you may have noticed something strange.

Compelled by a lack of oxygen, hundreds of earthworms embark on a doomed migration out of the rain-soaked earth. Eventually they find themselves looking a bit lost on the wet pavement. Unfortunately, the sun will come out again and at that moment their ultimate fate becomes clear. Death. And not an easy death but a slow, painful drying. Today I walk coldly by and leave them to their squirming fate. I’m too busy and I don’t want to get my hands dirty. Sure I feel a twinge of regret when I walk back later on the dry pavement and see their dried bodies curled up, wilted under the unforgiving scrutiny of the sun. Sure I could ignore the puzzled glances from people and shout desperately at the worms, “Turn back!” “The sun will come out again and you will die” “ Why can’t you see that?”

When I was a kid my sister used to take me "glogging". Glogging, for the uninformed, was going out after the rain and saving earthworms. Our mission was clear and we were extremely motivated to look for as many of these little lost worms as possible, scoop them up and deposit them safely back on either a lawn or a garden.

What is a worm that we would even care? Maybe we should’ve saved animals that are more beautiful, more intelligent, more cuddly...

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. - Psalm 22:6

Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you," declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. - Isaiah 41:14