The amazing shell game

Many people don’t believe this, but I think it is true. When we “put something out in the Universe” it has a tendency to make its way back into our lives.

I’m reminded of this time and again in my writings here. More often than not, when I write about a subject, it tends to come back around to me pretty quickly. In some form or another.

I might write something about Bonsai Trees, for instance. Then, the next day, Mr. Miyagi is at my front door, holding one. That is just how it goes. Wax on. Wax off.

The other day, the topic of my reflections was “surprise” and all it entails. I put it out there, for sure.

But a little back story before I go on. After living out here “in the country” for nearly 30 years, there is not much in our natural surroundings that surprises me. At least, not in the way of creatures. We’ve seen just about everything, I suppose.

Then. Monday evening, I took to the dogs out for the evening stroll before we all settled in for the night. We walked out through the back door, and there, sitting directly in front of the pool steps, was a behemoth of a Snapping Turtle. Little Lou was heading directly for that Snapper to investigate. I hadn’t moved that quickly in quite some time. I looked a bit like Dash from The Incredibles. I scooped Louis up in my arms, and herded Ollie back into the house. Then, I summoned Mary.

By the time I went back out, that big turtle was doing laps at the bottom of our pool. I think I had caught her off guard, as much as she did me. Big Turtle Girl was definitely avoiding me. Needless to say, this entire series of events surprised everyone involved. Understatement.

Our brains work very fast. This seems to be amplified when we undergo a moment of surprise. In this case, in one little blip of a second, I imagined an entire scenario, where my little seven pound pooch was helplessly clutched in the jaws of this Snapper. And me, being just as helpless, as I tried to free Louis from her clutches. Fast brains.

Of course, I got to Lou before he got to the turtle. Thankfully.

What followed next was our desire to remove the turtle from the pool. After a few failed attempts, we called our pal Mike. He came right over, and retrieved the beast. He took her down to the creek where she will live happily ever after.

Yet, we spent a little time with her before she left. When we had a closer look, both Mary & I were immediately drawn to her. She looked old and wise. She reminded me of Morla, also known as The Ancient One, from the movie, The Neverending Story. Morla was a giant turtle who, because of her great size, is mistaken for a mountain. I wanted to get to know our turtle better. But as it were, I thanked her for her good place in the world, and for being such an important part of our planet’s balance. Life. Her existence here is an important one. Something in her eyes seemed to reiterate this. She seemed very perceptive, and knowing.

My Monday night surprise was a little life changer. It was an experience I’d never had before, and it gave me a great appreciation for something I feared. Oh. I understand that turtle is still a danger to those who meet her snapping jaws. But there is no evil there. No conjuring or premeditation. It is simply her nature. Her part in this world.

When we open ourselves to the Universe, it shows us things.
I believe this to be true.

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We haven’t spoken to anyone else for thousands of years, so we started talking to ourselves. — Morla, The Neverending Story

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“Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”
― Arthur C. Clarke

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“Nothing happens until something moves.”
― Albert Einstein

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