Old Turtle spoke again:

The car is parked, I open the door and stand up.  The day is beautiful, the sun high in the sky and the air clean.  I begin the process of stretching my tired and tight muscles.  My head is busy with the messages of resistance.  I pull out the smart phone, get it ready to track my workout, and set an app up so that I have something to listen to instead of the noise in my own head.  I set off on this beautiful day for some much needed exercise. 

As I begin my very determined warm up walk, I glance to my left.  The noise in my head stops, the self absorbed fascination on my sore muscles disappear.  There is a large turtle working very hard, and there are two people watching.  Very uncharactic of me, I stop, take my ear phones out and walk over to where others are watching.  A young girl looks at me and says, "She is laying eggs". 

With a steady determination the turtle continues her work.  I find myself feeling like I am witnessing something very intimate.  Quiet respect is in the air that surrounds us.  I feel grateful to be present. 

I took some pictures with my smart phone, which always seems to have a use, even in moments like these.  Said a quick prayer of intercession and thanksgiving, and moved on to finish my workout with a new view of the day. 

Old Turtle and the Broken Truth, by Douglas Wood, is a wonderful book.  All day yesterday I found myself wanting to find it.  "Old Turtle returns in a timeless story about love, acceptance, and the nature of truth."  How do we see God in the world around us?  How do we listen to the wisdom of nature. 

"Old Turtle spoke again:

"Remember this also, Little One," she said.
"The Broken Truth, and life itself, will be mended
only when one person meets another-someone
from a different place or with a different face or
different ways-and sees and hears...herself.
Only then will the people know that every person,
every being, is important, and that the world 
was made for each of us." 

On this day, the sun is out, the air is clear.  Let us each stop and listen and look around the world this day.  Let us meet each other, all of God's creatures, and know that we are all loved.