“Slow down. Take a
deep breath. What’s the hurry?" ~ Jeremiah
2:25
Danny and his Grandpa were out for
a drive. The road lay before them like a
black ribbon; albeit, one that had been scarred over time. Wetlands bordered both sides of the potholed
asphalt; a warm breeze caressed everything it touched – peaceful, quiet,
comfortable.
That was until Grandpa hit the brakes - hard! Tires screeched on scorched pavement.
Danny’s collision with the safety belt nearly took his
breath away. Grampa turned on the hazard
lights before jumping from the vehicle.
He’d narrowly missed ending the life of the small snapping turtle that
was crossing the road, probably looking for a place to nest.
By the time Grampa returned to the truck, Danny’s heart rate
was close to normal. “That was crazy!”
he said nervously. “You could’ve lost
control and killed us both.”
“Nah,” Grampa replied.
“We’re fine, and that little critter will live another day. Turtles ROCK!”
“You see Danny,” the old man began, “Turtles are tough
dudes. They’ve outlived dinosaurs. They’re probably the longest living animal on
earth due in part to their slow metabolism and ability to regulate their
heartbeat (like an on/off switch) so their organs don’t deteriorate over time
like ours do. They seldom die of old age.”
“If turtles didn’t get diseases, eaten or harmed by humans, or
crushed by cars, they could live almost indefinitely. Display the organs of a 75-year-old turtle
beside those of an 8-year-old, and there's virtually no difference. The creatures can get sick, but an aged turtle
is no more vulnerable to disease than a youngster.”
“A snapping turtle has no aching joints, no hardening
arteries, no loss of lung capacity, no need for a liver transplant, no
deteriorating vision, and no more wrinkles than he or she was born with. Researchers think turtles make hold the
secret to extending human life.”
“We could learn a lot from them,” he continued. “For example, we should learn to slow down
and take things at our own pace. And we
could be more self-sufficient; turtles carry their houses on their backs for
heaven’s sake.”
“Turtles develop a tough shell to withstand life’s hard
knocks. And they know when to retreat
into their shells when they’re overloaded.”
“And Danny,” the old man quizzed, “Can you image the courage
and commitment it took for that turtle to cross the busy road with no ability
to rush or swerve? We should all be that
dedicated to our goals in life!”
We thank you Jesus, for all living creatures. Every single one has a purpose. We are reminded that we’re given a mandate to care
for and cultivate. Not to dominate, but
to provide safety and space for harmony and peace in your Creation. Amen
