I have a real affinity for turtles. Cindy and I saw this one of the side of the road that leads up to our house. He was right across the road from the lake, obviously heading that direction. Turtles have great intentions and move through life with tremendous gusto. They just don’t have the speed to always get to where they’re going very fast. And on today’s dangerous roadways, a turtle in the street is likely to get run over. Whenever we see a turtle on the side of the road, Cindy and I stop and carry it to the other side. We talked to a veterinarian about this and they said you must ALWAYS take them in the direction they were facing. Turtles have a keen sense of direction and once they set their sight on something, that’s where they’re headed. If you take them the wrong direction, they’ll just turn around and head back the way they were going.
There’s something to be said for that kind of vision and determination. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I’m easily sidetracked by diversions. I try to stay very focused on my goals but that means I need to have clarity before I begin the journey. And the turtle might not get there as quickly as someone else but he does get there…and, perhaps, enjoys the journey a bit more as well.
We have a philosophy about life – It’s a marathon, not a sprint. It’s not about getting somewhere as quickly as possible. It’s about enjoying the journey. God has so many incredible lessons He can teach us if we take the time to learn them. Life is all about learning…for the rest of our lives.