TURTLE, TURTLE, LA LA LA

This turtle is estimated to weigh more than
1000 lbs.

No, I’m not referring here to the commercial chocolate-caramel candy but to the giant turtles that I saw in the Galapagos Island of Santa-Cruz recently. I'm talking about huge turtles, very old turtles, some as 230 years old.

What was fascinating about them was they were not afraid although shy. Shy yet definitely curious about our presence. They would pull back their head inside the shell when we approached but within seconds though they would stretched it out again, eager to see if we were still looking at them. Eye contact with any of them was quietly powerful. Such deep, wise calmness as they gazed in my heart or my soul. They left an imprint there.

A primordial bath of beauty;
a hot spot, turtle style.

Since I’ve been back, I find this imprint is noticeable. I can’t rush. An email response sent too quickly reminded me of turtle wisdom. It showed me that the answer I could have sent. It would have been much more satisfying to wait for my full memory and truth to rise.

The flu also forced me to adopt turtle pace. Gratefully, I didn’t battle to get back on my feet more quickly than I could. Even as I am late writing this blog, turtle is still sovereign, telling me to wait for the right message, the right words.

"Tell them to think of their body, of their bones, of their solidity, turtles say. Tell them to feel their weight from time to time. Remind them of how long it has taken them to become who they are, and to enjoy that achievement. We know that they think spending time in the mud is messy. From our perspective, the mud is the primordial bath of beauty, our protection and the Mother’s love nest. 

Remind them that, like us, they have good lungs they can make even bigger by breathing deeper. Deep breath is the secret of strength and longevity. Longevity is the award system that comes from living their walk to their destination. Even when they rest, they can still move forward by imagining the next walk, the next day, the next adventure."

As I am now recovered, I enjoy watching the snow fall and the cat sleeping without impatience. Oddly enough, all my tasks are done there’s nothing on my agenda tomorrow except choosing something gratifying to do like wishing you loads of turtle wisdom in 2015.