On a recent walk up one of our steep hills, which we lovingy call the Beast, I saw a turtle just beginning the climb. I said, “Oh turtle, trust me, you do not want to go
this way! This can't be the way you're supposed to be going.”
But I let her be. I read somewhere that it's best to leave turtles alone, because they know exactly which direction they need to go.
Humans who try to help turtles out by carrying them to a “better spot,” might actually be making more work for the turtle. (Moving them out of the road, but still headed in the same direction is helpful though, I think.)
I walked past the turtle and climbed the Beast, and then passed the turtle again on my way back down. The turtle had turned right and to my relief, was headed toward our dry creek bed, instead of continuing to pursue the
hill.
We don't know what's best for a turtle, much less our kids, spouses, other family members, or our friends. The path they're on may not look right to us, but how do we know which lessons are critical for their
journeys, and the lives they intend to lead?
Every life has pitfalls which bring lessons that ultimately contribute to a greater life. If I try to spare someone from their pitfalls, as I see it, maybe I’m robbing
them of exactly what they need to live their full potential? Maybe I’m limiting the impact they could bring to the world by attempting to prevent their perceived hardship?
I have proven repeatedly that I don't always know
what's best for me. If I can't always know what's best for me, why do I think I might know what's best for somebody else?
What if we imagined that each of us was given a treasure map at birth—that it was placed in our DNA
and something deep within us instinctively knows which life path holds our treasure? Even when we don't consciously know it, what if we are always gathering experiences and wisdom that we need for the overall paths of our lives? It could be true.
Does a turtle ever feel lost? I kinda doubt it, except when a human unexpectedly picks them up and puts them down somewhere else. Then they have to re-orient themselves to find the right direction again.
I guess the same is true for us. We can feel lost when life has picked us up, spun us around, and set us down in an unfamiliar place. It takes a while to intuitively sort out the way back to our path.
We're not really lost, though. We're just on a detour. Like the turtle who has been picked up by "helpers," we will find our way, because inherently, we know the way. Self-trust, self-love and patience are virtues when we're going the way of the turtle.
So today, leave them alone!
Leave the turtles alone. Leave your kids alone, your grandkids. Leave your spouse alone, your family members. Let your
friends find their way. And if the person that you are trying to guide (control) the most is yourself, give yourself some space from the "shoulds," too.
Trust that you have an inherent path and you are on it, even
when it doesn't feel like it.
Even when you feel lost, or worse, like you’re headed in the opposite direction, you are finding your way. You will get back on track. As long as the desire to find our way is
pushing us forward, we will find it.
Cheers to you and me leaving everyone else alone today, so we can stay focused on finding our own paths.
