As I walked through the pasture today, something caught my eye – a miniscule turtle! It was in a fairly open area, but well-camouflaged.
My guess is that the determined creature had slogged its way up from a stream bed (where it had hatched), through very tall grass and forbs, to a spot where the grass had been flattened. It was the only the shape of it that caused me to recognize that it was unusual. I normally walk through that area without scanning the ground carefully; a misstep could have resulted in the little one’s demise. Fortunately, I was looking at the ground as I walked, and the green half dollar-sized turtle stopped me in my tracks.
As I looked at the expanse this diminutive turtle had crossed, I felt awe – this baby just did the best it could, without dwelling on the difficulty of the task at hand. You, tiny turtle, are my hero. May you have a safe and speedy journey to your destination!