Rescuing Worms

Yesterday, as I walked out of the loading dock area of one of our buildings here on Microsoft campus, I saw a worm stretching himself out full, heading straight into concrete loading area. I knew why he was doing it--rain was falling in sheets outside, and the soil had become over-saturated with water. Worms actually do respirate, but through their skin, and so he was basically suffocating and heading for dry ground. I also knew that he was going to wind up as a dried-out worm carcass, stuck to the bottom of some driver's shoe in a day's time at that rate. I had all of these thoughts as I walked past the worm out into the rain to my car.

And I had to turn back.

A small, insignificant saving of a single worm. What's the use? I can't think of any reason for it. But I went back and picked up my little moist, wiggling friend and chucked him out into a patch of soil and plants. And I felt better about it. I did.