When Freddy and Brian were little, their Uncle Dave gave them a box turtle.  Freddy right away named the turtle Shelby and proclaimed it to be his, since this little Ninja Turtle fan “always wanted” a real turtle.  Of course Brian had to have a brother turtle to keep Shelby company, and promptly named his companion Shellshock.  Shelby and Shellshock live in an atrium inside our house, which is pretty much like a turtle paradise.  They’re easy to take care of, most of the time we don’t even know they’re there.  In the spring when the weather is warmer, they start getting a little more active, more playful.  I think turtles are marvelous creatures, and there are lessons we can learn from them.  We can look within for wisdom, and come out when our ideas are ready to be expressed.  We carry our home with us.  Sometimes we need to slow down and take our time.  My friend Lindsay shared with me this wonderful book that looks at the symbolism of animals – it’s fascinating!

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