THE INCHWORM TALE

IN the 1952 film ‘Hans Christian Andersen’, Danny Kaye sang the Frank Loesser song, ‘Inchworm’.

After a debate over whether imagination or book learning was most important, he watches a caterpillar ‘measuring’ the diameter of a marigold in its repeated, regular movements while the children are learning their times tables in a repeated, regular chant.

Andersen tells the inchworm that its arithmetical skills will take it far, but suggests stopping awhile to notice the radiance and beauty of the flower.

Both options are good, with neither excluding the other.

If you would sow marigold seeds, this is the right time of year. If you would like to learn a new skill to help you get ahead, or work on increasing your imagination and appreciation, it is also the right time of year for that!