Turtle Teacher

A 30” snapping turtle bellied her way across our freshly cut lawn last week. She quickly retracted her extended neck when the crank on my opening window alerted her to possible danger. Within a few minutes, 5 curious adults and as many children surrounded her at a safe distance to themselves; wondering why she was so far from home in our suburb. I chose to think she was exploring a new path; striking out on a journey of independence. She rested in fern protected rocks for the night. By sunrise the next morning she was halfway across the neighbor’s yard heading west by northwest at Slowski speed. I smiled at her determination to proceed at her own pace toward destinations known only to her. But I lost my smile later that day when I heard that a well-meaning neighbor picked her up and carried her the length of a football field back in the direction from which she just came. He deposited her in a shallow water runoff ditch he assumed was her home.

Well-meaning folk often try to send people back where they came from. When your journey crosses their path and they determine you’re zinging their comfort zone.

I love the 4th of July/Independence Day Celebration. For one day we wave and wear red, white and blue, make music, delight in abundant food and togetherness. It is my yearly reminder that we the people are stronger when we are independent, interdependently. You know what I mean?

As a nation we have sometimes been the well-meaning neighbor who tried to put the turtle back where it ‘belonged’. We have intruded on the journey of a country, a culture, a religious sect or lifestyle that has zinged our comfort zone and sent them in a new direction; for their own good of course.

People have tried to move me in another direction too when my questions, perspectives, non-traditional thinking has zinged their comfort zone. I’ve been nudged out of religious organizations for questioning whether living sequential lifetimes may be possible; that dreamtime consciousness takes us to realms not known in body consciousness; that we would be enriched if we saw the Source of All from collective points of view, instead of possessively guarding the vision passed down from our singular heritage. We are a contradictory life-form, we humans, we put in windows to let in the light, then cover them with shades to keep that same light out. Selective sight.

I believe true Independence, the ability and courage to make right decisions based on our center of truth, no matter how alienating, isolating and uncomfortable that becomes, is at the center of healthy Interdependence. Like strong trees each reaching for their own light while rooted in the same soil with others doing the same, that then creates a unity called forest. Out of the many—ONE; never ceasing to appreciate the continuing contribution of the many.

Whenever we wave our red, white, and blue, star studded flag we are signaling that we are one of those forests in this part of planet earth. We raise our collective voices to other forests announcing that we rejoice in the Independence of each amidst the Interdependence of many. That first we are Independent persons within a forest of Interdependent people, within all forests whose roots entwine deeply into the planet and life-force we all call home. Sea to shining sea is not our personal bookend. That sea flows to, through and beyond our forest to sister and brother forests globally.

I’m watching for that turtle to appear again. To persist on her path to independence no matter how many times she zings our comfort zone in this neck of the forest.