Widening the Circle of Compassion

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“Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” – Albert Einstein

On Monday night after the kids went to bed, I was outside in my pajamas wearing my hat with the built-in head lamp sorting through the dirt of a terrarium. In a moment of sanity, I thought, “What the eff am I doing?”

On one level, it was easy to understand what I was doing. I was trying to find our pet snail after the terrarium accidentally slid off the shelf when five-year-old Mr. D tried to put it up. We’d cleaned up the dirt and put it back in the terrarium but didn’t see Snail-D, also known as Gary, when we did. Since it happened during the middle of dinner time and on bath night, we hadn’t had time to return to try to see if he’d survived the fall.

So maybe the better question was why was I doing it? I have a limit to how much I can do in a day. I often say that I’m off the clock after the kids go to bed. It’s when I finally get some downtime. While I will sometimes do the dishes, I try to be pretty good about just having a cup of tea and reading a book.

We hadn’t intended to adopt another creature but Mr. D discovered Gary the snail crawling up the side of our entertainment center. He must have come in on the cat’s coat. So, it seemed like he’d found us and Mr. D was really excited about having his own “pet.” I didn’t think we’d manage to keep him alive for a day. But now, a month later, Gary seems to be thriving.

Until the accident, at least. I have to admit, I have come to sort of like Gary. He’s pretty social anytime the kids get him out of his terrarium. And he eats all my left-over lettuce.

But I suspect that the real reason I spent my me-time on Monday night looking through the dirt for Gary was because life is precious and precarious. Deep down I know the conditions of my life could change because of an accident or because of the whim of a whacky autocrat.

So helping others, even mollusks, also helps me to feel better.

You’ll be happy to know that Gary survived.

(featured photo is Gary before the accident)

You can find me on Instagram @wynneleon and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/

I co-host a storytelling podcast featuring authors and artists with the amazing Vicki Atkinson. To tune in, search for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or Pocketcasts (and subscribe) or click here. Or the YouTube channel features videos of our interviews. Please subscribe!

My other projects include work as a CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer), speaking about creativity and AI through the Chicago Writer’s Association, and my book about my journey to find what fueled my dad’s indelible spark and twinkle can be found on Amazon: Finding My Father’s Faith.

80 thoughts on “Widening the Circle of Compassion”

  2. As you and Michelle suggest, I know of no one who doesn’t broadly share your concerns. Gary and the rest of the non-human creations and creatures are spared such knowledge.

    Liked by 2 people

  3. To complete my thought, even with our worries, we still have the advantage of joy and the preciousness of lives to love and protect. It is a privilege.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I love the unplanned alignment in our posts this morning…your story about sweet Gary and an encounter with deer in our backyard. Leaning into nature…the natural world for comfort. Thanks, Wynne. 💕

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Glad to hear that Gary made it through the mishap, even though his much smaller world got turned upside down. Our collective world is being shaken and we’re all feeling the effects.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. I’d imagine that Gary felt some panic when the tank came down, and maybe some relief when you found him and he got back to munching on lettuce leaves! I find myself doom scrolling, and hoping for some reprieve!

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh, I hadn’t heard of the one up for an Oscar. The other night we watched Turbo about a snail. So funny what we can do with these inspirations, right, John?

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  22. I sooooo get this, and I love your conclusion at the end, such an important one. I asked myself this question years ago, when one of our pet fish, goldie, got ick and was headed for a quick death. I drove to the 24 hour store at midnight to get her the medicine she needed and she survived to live for months after. I understood how much he meant to my girls and this his life was precious too.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I love this story about goldie and the midnight run. Yes, it is important, isn’t it? You said it perfectly – life is precious!

      Gary’s shell is a little cracked. I hunted through the garden yesterday til I found him an empty one. He hasn’t moved into it but we’re all rooting for Gary! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  23. Oh I’m so glad that Gary made it, Wynne! You’re right that during these precarious times, these moments do matter. And perhaps it was fate that this snail entered your lives. A good reminder to slow down, literally, and enjoy the present even more.

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  24. “Deep down I know the conditions of my life could change because of an accident or because of the whim of a whacky autocrat.” I love this, Wynne, and it’s definitely true. Helping others is the best thing we can do right now. Glad that Gary made it.

    Liked by 2 people

  25. Ah, what we parents do for our kids. You’ll have to tell this story to Mr. D’s fiancee some day. Now you’ve got something else to add to your resume. Wynne Leon—mollusk specialist.

    This brought back a memory of how I secretly adopted a frog and thought he might enjoy a hot bath with me. I’m not exaggerating—this is when my dad taught me about cold-blooded animals. Ceasar the frog died a hero.

    Liked by 1 person

  31. I have a few aquatic snails in my fish tank and they do wonders at controlling the algae. Plus, they’re just fun to watch. Despite their reputation for speedlessness, these guys really book! I’m glad Gary will continue to help with your lettuce composting efforts for the foreseeable future.

    Liked by 2 people

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