bearing witness to her journey

 

 

i was looking out the window

at lightening storm last night

when i noticed something

being tossed about in the surf.

 

it was a sea turtle.

 

it's nesting season

here on the island.

 

i watched as she tried to break free

from the rough waves

and make her way to shore

but it was dark and rainy

and dusk was quickly

turning to nightfall.

 

eventually, i lost sight of her.

 

i wanted to go down

to the water's edge

but the lightening was too intense.

 

i wanted to watch her come ashore

and lay her eggs,

even though there wasn't

anything i could do to help.

 

i wanted to bear witness

to her journey

just like so many of you

are bearing witness to mine.

 

  

when i awoke this morning,

i was happy to see that

there was a new nest

near where i had seen

the turtle.

 

 

she had made it.

 

i sent a text message

to my friend betty

telling her about the nest.

 

i also mentioned that i was sad

about packing up my place.

 

she wrote back

and reminded me

that packing

is part of the process,

a new chapter

in an unwritten book,

and that the turtle's resilience

and determination

was a message.

 

they were the right words

at the right time.

 

 

it was a rainy day but

when the skies cleared right before sunset,

i walked down to the beach

and stood in the tracks

that marked the sea turtle's

journey to her nest.

 

i thought about the way

she fought her way here,

did what she came to do,

and returned home.

 

and i knew betty was right.

 

the turtle was a messenger.

i simply needed someone

who has been a part

of my journey

to help me realize it.

 

 

here's a post

with pictures

of baby sea turtles

they were taken

the first time

i met betty.