Can You Give a Worm’s Inch?

Several years ago, I was leisurely walking home from the bus stop, after a hard day at work, and I was just letting my mind wander, thinking about nothing. After crossing a street, I happened to look down and saw a worm in the gutter that intrigued me. I was fascinated and stood there watching it for at least five minutes. I realized that no one else in the entire world would ever stop and watch a worm, but I was fascinated with this worm.


As I started watching him the thought came to my mind that this was not the brightest worm in the neighborhood because from my viewpoint it couldn’t tell its head from its tail. After studying it for a moment, I tried to imagine the conversation it was having with itself and started wondering if it had two heads or perhaps two strong willed tails or maybe the problem was that it just didn’t know how to get along with itself.


Not knowing ‘Wormeeze’ I was at a disadvantage discussing the dilemma with that worm, but I am quite certain the argument it was having with itself was about the closest way to get home. For the sake of this story, I am going to call the head of the worm Herbert and its tail Humphrey. Herbert thought home was north and headed in that direction, while Humphrey thought it was south and started going that way.


If you are following the story, you recognize that Herbert and Humphrey faced a conundrum and unless they solved it, they would end up going nowhere. As I watched this worm, with Herbert trying to go north and Humphrey heading south, I realized that this was one stubborn worm. As they struggled while pulling in separate directions this four-inch worm stretched into an eight-inch worm. I don’t know how many times they repeated this behavior, but I know the results were always the same. 


I was fascinated as both Herbert and Humphrey were using all their energy pulling against each other as they tried to force the other end to change its direction and become unified in their goals so they could work together and accomplish something positive. In reality, both were determined to keep going without any compromise, which was leading them to make no progress in either direction. 


Remember Herbert and Humphrey were both stubborn, and Mother Nature tried hard to help them understand that neither was going anywhere unless they figured out how to work together. However, even with that hint, for the entire five minutes I devoted to worm watching, they repeated this behavior over and over again, neither giving a worm’s inch.

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The next day when I walked the same route home, Herbert and Humphrey were gone. I don’t know if they made it home, dried up in the sun, or were eaten by a bird.


Herbert and Humphrey remind me of the many divisive debates in our communities and around the world today that are pulling us apart and keeping us stuck. While we may not be players on the world stage, there are people in our own families, neighborhoods, and communities who are pulling in different directions, and maybe we can pause, get
curious, and shift to more productive conversations so we don’t end up going nowhere like Herbert and Humphrey.

Happy Failing Forward,


Calvert Cazier PhD, MPH


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