Sea Turtle Wisdom

This sea turtle looks like she was hand painted by God.

On a recent trip to the Georgia coast, my family visited a sea turtle hospital. I had never given these beautiful creatures very much thought until the year before on a family vacation in Florida, we got to witness a sea turtle release. Three turtles had been rehabbed and were being returned to the sea.

It was an amazing experience, so naturally, when we learned that there was a sea turtle hospital that was open to visitors, we were all interested.

It was sad to find so many turtles who had been injured by the negligence of humanity, but inspiring to see all of the people working with them with the goal to return them back to the Atlantic Ocean to live long productive lives.

They were doing a surgery on one when we arrived and a volunteer explained that its flipper had been so damaged that they were having to amputate it. My eyes filled with tears at the news and I asked her if it would spend the remainder of its life in captivity, keeping in mind that some live over 150 years.

She explained to me that there would be a long rehab for the turtle, but that they can learn to compensate and live just fine in the wild, just like a three-legged dog does. I was shocked. How was that possible?

She went on to explain that they would put special weights on it and move it to larger and larger tanks to help it get stronger before finally setting it free.

Now, there’s no way that poor turtle has any idea what’s in store for her or the fact that the people who keep manhandling  her only want what’s best for her. They want her to be free again, but they want her to be strong and ready first.

I have thought a lot about that turtle upon my return home and the many others at that facility. As I was taking a walk yesterday, I came across a different kind of turtle attempting to cross the road. My heart went out to it as I was reminded of those sea turtles.

I knew it had very little chance of crossing successfully. It would surely get hit by a car. But, I also noted the sharp claws on its feet and I was reluctant to pick it up. So, I gently moved it across the road with my foot. It was terrified and drew up into its shell. It had no way of knowing I was trying to save its life.

As I came back by to check on it, I found it still tightly in its shell and I wished I had a way of communicating that I was only working for its best. For all it knew, I was some giant, kicking it around.

I continued to think about that turtle and the sea turtles as I finished my walk and how people can learn a lot from them.

We sometimes find ourselves getting kicked off of the path we are on, the one we think is best, but perhaps God is moving us out of the way of danger, like I did with the land turtle.

We also sometimes find ourselves getting mauled somehow by people, like the sea turtles and we end up on the sidelines for what seems like forever until we are ready to swim again. But perhaps God is using that time to grow us stronger and better equipped for the future, even though it may not seem like it at the time.

The turtles reminded me that we can trust that God is at work, even when all seems lost, even when we don’t understand. We are loved and treasured and He has a plan.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you needed reminding today too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂