Hello, little snail! I had forgotten all about you.

As I was walking to my house today, I looked down just in time to avert a footstep that was moments away from ending the life of one of these cute little fellows.  I then remembered that while I lived in California I always had to watch my feet when I walked.  There were literally dozens and dozens of snails slugging their way across every sidewalk.  My guilt grew daily as I shattered the shells of these poor guys everywhere I walked.  I intently began to focus on watching the ground even closer whenever my feet hit the pavement.  Here in Utah, I never even have to think about it, because I rarely see snails.
It's funny how we adapt to the slightest changes in our environment and unlearn principles that played such a huge part in our daily lives elsewhere... I never consciously stopped looking for snails- somewhere along the line (I have no idea when) I just stopped.  It makes me wonder how many changes we make unconsciously in our lives because we place ourselves in different environments.  Our adaptations can lead us for better or for worse....and we may not even notice the changes in ourselves until much later on.  However, I do believe that we are always aware of changes in our environment, and it is important that we take the time to evaluate how these changes might affect us in the future
Oh, the thought process that begins with a snail....