The Theosophical Forum – September 1945

A WORMS-EYE VIEW — J. T. Arneson

While walking along a country road recently I noticed a caterpillar crawling along in the wheel track. Very soon, if I did not intervene, his life would be crushed out by a passing car. Should not this tiny creature, so far down on life's evolutionary ladder, be spared? With my walking stick I gently boosted him off the right-of-way and out of danger, thereby setting in motion a sequence of events, the very least of which being that another gorgeous butterfly would one day brighten a summer's morn.

But instead of being grateful, he was angry. At this seemingly rude interruption of his progress he curled up and pouted. Of course he could not possibly know that my action had saved his life. He saw only that his course had been disturbed by some great force which he could not understand. Because his plans had been frustrated his little body fairly pulsated with vibrations of fear and rage.

Notwithstanding our superior intelligence, how often do we human beings act like the lowly caterpillar. We fuss and fume with anger when our plans are thwarted by forces over which we have no control. We call it a "bad break" or misfortune when our petty schemes misfire. We seldom think of the great chain of causes that may have been set in operation by the failure of our plans. For after all man has only a worm's-eye view of the Force called Destiny.



Theosophical University Press Online Edition