This is a slug. A banana slug to be exact. I came across it on my walk with the dog the other day. (I don't exactly walk my dog, she walks me, or sometimes we walk together, she is much too independent to be walked by a human). I usually search for some sign from the universe as I start my day, and this was a bit of a letdown. I like majestic redwood trees swaying in the wind, hawks screeching ominously above my head, ravens swooping down from the sky and flying in front my windshield, and of course the ever-present deer bounding ahead of me in the hills where I live. So a slug did not seem very exciting. But as I examined it more carefully, I thought, no a slug is good. A slug is the anti-me. My shadow. No one could accuse me of being a slug. In fact most of my life is built around you not judging me as a slug. Or a slacker. Or lazy.
This has its drawbacks. Like an acute inability to relax. Or to even sit on the couch without a computer on my lap. Sometimes I will allow myself a book, but it's usually self-improvement oriented. The drive to do keeps me on my toes. And I like it. But I get that sometimes I need to do nothing. Soon after I saw the slug, I came across this blog on "Slacker Manifesting." It was kind of painful to even read it, because everything she suggests is again, the antithesis of what I normally do - run around like a chicken with my head cut off getting stuff done. And it's not all work, but there are aging in-laws to care for, and niece's to babysit and mother's to call. Not to mention the laundry, groceries and entertaining friends.
The slug stuck with me for a few days. I tried to imagine what life would be like if you spent like, a day, getting from one side of the sidewalk to the middle, and then you get squashed. What is the point of a life like that? But then I thought, well, that's a slug's life. That's what slugs do. Better to be an authentic slug, live life to the fullest and get squashed than be so busy I miss important things. Like giving my husband a hug when I walk in the door from work versus checking and opening the mail right away and finding - you guessed it! More things to do. So yes, being busy prevents me from being present for those I love the most. I'm working on that.
I looked up slugs on Wikipedia. A snail with no shell. Hmmm... this spoke to me. Lately I have been stretching myself, putting myself out there and taking more risks to express myself (like this blog). I DO feel a bit shell-less lately.
So a slug it is, my power animal for this week. I will embrace my inner-slugness and practice my Slacker Manifesting, because, after all it is summer!
What are you gonna do this week?