Should I “save” the snail?

Whenever I go for my jog at the park, I consciously remind myself not to step on the ant trails which can always be seen running across the footpath. But sometimes, when my mind gets hijacked away by a thought, I fail to notice the ant trails and accidentally step on them, killing how many innocent lives, I don’t really know.

Recently, I noticed that some garden snails stray onto the footpath and I have witnessed several gross-looking crushed snail carcass. They must have been trampled on by unaware joggers. So nowadays, whenever I see a live snail on the footpath, I have this urge to “rescue” them, to pick them up and put them in a safer part of the park whereby there’s minimal risk of them being crushed. But then, what if the snails feel that I’m a busybody and should not interfere with their lives? Moreover, that could be the path they have to take in life and they may just find their way back to the footpath again when I’m not around. After all, how often can I be there to save them?

Being human doesn’t give me the right to change the choice and path of a snail, does it? I’ve decided I will leave the snails alone and not change their paths. In the first place, I am not the snail and have no idea where the snail is heading. The presence of the ants, snails and other living things on the footpath shall be a good test for human beings - a test of our mindfulness and care for a lesser being. I do know there are some human beings who intentionally want to crush the snails and ants just because they don’t like the look of them. Why kill them when the snails and ants just cross our paths but do not interfere with our lives?

Live and let live…that’s what the PM said in parliament yesterday with regard to the appeal of the minority community. My message for the larger community, be more tolerant and whether you like it or not, there is a place for every one of us on this earth no matter how small the numbers. And for the smaller community, I also say live and let live. End all that name-calling. Instead of arguing about sins and rights, learn the true meaning of love. You can never strike off things or people you dislike from this earth. You do not need to agree with them but you can certainly learn to accept it.

I sincerely hope the government’s decision wasn’t swayed by any particular religious group just because they are more prominently represented in the parliament. We are one united people, regardless of race, language or religion. Hope our cabinet remembers that.