Invasion of the Slime Mold: Resistance is Futile

For some reason, this week has had lots of rough edges.  When I experience a week like this I usually find solace in my garden.  But this time my garden echoed the disjointedness I’ve been feeling.  Slime mold has invaded.

In case you’ve been spared first-hand knowledge, a slime mold is a blob that suddenly appears in a mulched flower bed.  It is not a fungus but is officially classified as a Protista.   (Yeah, me neither J.)  To me, it is simply not classifiable.

It is a strange morphing organism that shape-shifts at will and is impossible to get rid of.  Fortunately it does no damage, except, of course, to your sense of aesthetics.

Beginning as a yellow blob that makes you think the dog threw up in your garden, it then turns orange and later spews some kind of black powder.  The powder is full of reproducing spores, so the cycle continues.

It’s interesting to me that slime begets more slime.  An immediate reference comes to mind about the company one keeps, but this whole episode has me contemplating something much more subtle and sinister than that.  I’m wondering what kind of forces are aimlessly morphing in front of me, and while doing me no direct harm, are keeping me from getting where I need to go.

And while I believe in being positive and staying optimistic, sometimes life just seems to throw roadblocks.    There are times to quit citing Pollyanna clichés and just observe the slime morphing.  Because, at least in the case of slime mold, resistance is futile.  That’s how I’m feeling this week, anyway.

I’m trying to see if I can appreciate my garden going down a path I would rather it not take, but that’s not really working for me.  So I’m just in a slime state of mind.

How do you deal with the slime mold in your life?  I’d love to hear your comments.

Marianne Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com