Be the Kind of Person Who Rescues Snails

Be the kind of person who rescues snails. Be the kind of family who never fails. Be the kid of friend that forgives fast. Be the kind of servant to finish last. Be the kind of grownup that listens well. Be the kind of child that thinks life's swell. Be the kind of teacher with a smiling face. Be the kind of hiker who leaves no trace. Be the kind of curious that follows trails. Be the kind of person who rescues snails.

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Kimberlee Long, August 22nd, 2019

When my family and I hiked to Andrew's Bald along the Forney Ridge Trail last summer, we reached a segment of trail through which we had to pick our way carefully past a multitude of snails. My youngest daughter, in her tenderness, carefully plucked some of the snails out of the most trafficked places of the walkway and set them free in the direction they were traveling. It was a good memory, but bittersweet.

On our way back up to Clingman's Dome later in the afternoon, the crushed and shattered shells of less lucky snails littered the rocky path where more careless hikers than my daughter had trampled them. It was a poignant and disappointing view of how easily we humans destroy even what we promise to protect (such as the living creatures in a federally protected National Park).

Poor little Dinogirl was briefly saddened, but I encouraged her to remember all the snails she did save from this fate. She was even able to save a few more as we lumbered our way back uphill. I hope more people learn to be like my daughter. I hope more choose to become the type of person who rescues snails.