Today is a bit of throwback to a visit to Martin Park Nature Center a few years ago. I have not visited the park in some time even though it is close to home. I enjoy walking the trails with my camera, watching for wildlife. There are plenty of our shelled friends there. In honor of them, let us call this Turtle Recall Thursday.
The red-eared slider is an ever-present host in most Oklahoma ponds. Here, they share the waters with large carp, softshell turtles, and snapping turtles that meander without a care in the world. If I were a bit more patient, I would likely find myself a perch and sit there for hours watching their parade. Growing up, I felt lucky to see a box turtle marching across the yard. To see this many species of of turtle in one place is a lot of fun.
I would like to think I will be walking the trails again soon, but it seems life has other plans. Unlike my hard-shelled friends, I find it difficult to relax, basking in the sunlight. Like far too many people, I feel the need to scramble towards nothing in particular, hoping to get somewhere fast.
That is not quite true. I know where I’m hoping to go, but I often feel as if I’m scrambling for the right path. Pondering this thought, I reflect on the patience of the turtle. I remember a time when I made time. I shed as much responsibility as I could in order to make room for friends, hobbies, and general lazing about. As I’ve grown older, this talent has escaped me. There is always some other thing to do, something more important than doing nothing could ever possibly be.
Or am I underestimating the importance of doing nothing?
As I continue in what is sure to be a life-long attempt to be a better person all the way around, I realize that my life is but a vapor. That is not to say there is not purpose. Perhaps, though, I should meander a bit less and leave more time for basking in the sun.
