Troubled by Turtles

I perceive part of my job description as a human being on Planet Earth is to spot dead animals along the road side and send them on their way to the Light. As I’m driving I may be talking to someone, I may be singing or performing some other driving friendly activity, but in my mind as I pass the animals I am saying ‘Go to the Light, Little One’.

Sometimes I will pass the same carcass many times, yet each time I give it my own personal little benediction, ‘Go the the Light, Little One’. I have even sent squashed paper bags, old boots or blown out tires to the Light.

When I’m not horsin’ around as an animal communicator, I’m fiddlin’ around as a professional violinist providing Music Wellness in elder care facilities. Today was a fiddlin’ around day. I had finished one engagement and was en route to another one. As usual, I was sending animals to the Light as I was driving.

I went past a turtle on the side of the road, was in the middle of sending it to the Light, when I realized that he was flipped over on his back, and was trying to right himself. His little flipper arm looked like it was trying to wave down help from the passing traffic.

It took me 2.5 miles before I could find a place to turn around and return to help him. Once I found him again, I pulled off the road and went to assist the little guy. Not only was he on his back, his shell had been cracked top and bottom, and he was bleeding.

I gently turned him over, and would have set him in the shade if there had been any available. I returned to my car and called my vet to see if they worked on turtles. Unfortunately, they don’t. I left him on the side of the road, not knowing how else to help the little guy. I sent out prayers that someone more knowledgeable than I would soon be by to help the fellow.

A few miles further I saw a snapping turtle with a big gapping hole in the apex of her shell. It looked like the turtle had been hit very hard with either a hammer or a hard ball. This one appeared to be dead, so I sent her to the Light.

I was late arriving at my engagement because of my turtle troubles.

At some point, after seeing these injured (dead? dying?) turtles I was spiraled back to my childhood, and remembered my dad, his brother and a young uncle reminiscing about their childhood, laughing about turtles they had put on their back, watching them struggle to right themselves. It was a game to them. I was too young to know better, so I laughed along with my dad and uncles.

I am disturbed by the turtles’ troubles, and can’t detach myself from worry and wondering what happened to them.

I have to accept the fact, no, the truth, that I did what I could for the turtles, and it probably was not enough to save either turtle (assuming the snapping turtle was alive). I am not a saviour ~ I can’t make everything right or resurrect dead or dying turtles.

This is a difficult lesson for me – to do what I can and then release the outcome of the situation. Not only release the outcome of the situation, but to be totally detached from the outcome: to allow the situation to develop and grow as it needs to.

I know this is an overly simplistic view, but when I am in a balanced state, feeling life is good, it is easy to say, and believe, that what happens is the best for all involved. Today is not one of those days.

Harmony,

Janet Roper

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