Trina Machacek: If we were snails

Into each life some rain must fall. Well unless you live life on Mars. I have heard there is no water on Mars. Making the availability of evaporation and condensation out of the question. Of course, without that rain and the clouds, we would miss the promise of clouds with silver linings. I know. I know. I am the forever optimist.

We all have the expectation of privacy. If we are in our own homes, in our own little worlds. We can eat at the sink; we can let a little gas go as we please. I’d even bet we can, and here only you will know if this is you. As beings of this world, we can, take our lives in our own hands and guide and slide ourselves into situations that will not always be the best for us. I tend to do that — a lot. Some will bite us on the backside. But we do those things anyway…

Which brings me to the path of Trina. Trina as a little sidewalk snail, a gallant girl earth-being who takes life as it comes. Trina who, damn the torpedoes, full speed, ok, full snail speed ahead, is doing what we all do once we land on Mother Earth. We just live the best, fastest most exciting life we can grab onto. Here is a little snapshot of things from her perspective.

Just look at her all confident in her comings or maybe that should be her goings. Could be either as we don’t know if she is coming or going. I mean especially since she carries her life on her shoulders, or in her case, as she is a snail, carries her life on her back. For a while that shell was hard as a rock and covered her well and kept her from spreading her wings, uh her squishy self, to meet life head on. I hope she is going forward not going back.

Things will come across our paths that we think are in our control. Life is not always controlled. Life sometimes gets out of control. Is controlled by others that do not have our best interests at heart. Beware of slimy things that will squirm into your pathway. Friends are truly that one bright spot of slime on your walk-through life.

I would bet three grains of salt that you would brush all the rocks and dandelion fairy seeds that float down, impeding their path, out of their way. Now that’s true friendship. When you risk getting hurt yourself by clearing what you can see as a rough path for your friend. To keep them from the slings and arrows – and rocks of salt that will occasionally get them into trouble. Now that’s a lovely friendship to sail on.

With every slide on the slime of life there have been lessons. About work. About play. About money. About home and hearts. Do you suppose, like I do, we will one day stop and think that it was both work and fun that put us where we end up? About the stumbles and rumbles and tumbles we go over and under and around to get to that one spot that will make us enjoy where we end up? Sit for a spell on our – accomplishments. Enjoy the view. Naw. Me neither.

Why just a few days ago I gave thought to crossing over a HOT cement bridge to get to the other side to find… Holy cats and kittens Batman, the other side…. Wow just what is on the other side of the cement bridge? Not what I had dreamed of. We get lost sometimes. I finally realized the trail behind me is all I need to find my way back to where I was loved and happy.

All I needed to do is turn around and follow my slimy trail back to the places that have made me the happiest in my life? I like to think that we all have a trail behind us. But that trail out in front! Oh Boy! OH BOY HOWDY!

We forge our own trails. We slime our way to the next green patch. We go over the hot beds of cement to get to the green, green grass of the new and exciting thingy in life. Then. Occasionally. A friend will save us from the salt of life that will dissolve us into a pile of something none of us wants to become. Goo!

Always know that a good friend will scrape the goo of life off your shoe. To love, comfort and help you. No matter what green grass or hot bed of slime you go through. Go snails go. Slide back when you need to. Your home is within you. Always.

Trina Machacek lives in Diamond Valley north of Eureka. Check out her books at www.theeurekacountystar.com or email her at itybytrina@yahoo.com.