Walk 2 - The Turtle

On my walk a short time ago. We’ve had a rain in the last few hours and the air smells of it – sharp, cleansed. Stopped to make a photograph of the creek near John Payne’s old house, I notice it at my feet - a dead box turtle. We see them more often after rains, as if the moisture urges them out of their shells. It’s not smelling yet, but its shell is multi-cracked, its legs outstretched in a stilled movement forward. Flies have discovered it for the feast it is. Clearly a victim of a car or a truck although it’s far out of the road’s tire tracks and likely killed with some intentionality.

I have with frequency watched people go out of their way to hit animals. In the case of snakes I’ve seen people run over them, and then back up to make sure they did the job, twisting the car’s wheels to be certain of opening the snake’s skin.

I don’t understand this need within man – the need for domination and dominion over the world and its creatures. Rather than accepting ourselves as part of the world’s fabric, man, and man alone among the world’s beings, believes the world revolves around him, to do as he pleases, to abuse at his discretion. And most people seem to believe mankind’s domination over the world is part of God’s will; that we have been granted the ability to destroy that same God’s creation. It makes me fearful of man, and his logic; and very fearful for mankind. Today, I would just like people to move slowly, like the creek, and stop running over turtles.

Comments

[Jennie Davis]

Dear Rob,
I lived and worked as a home health nurse in Madison County for years. Susan Moore is a good friend and I worked with Leslie as well. Always one of my favorites. I moved to Mesa, CO about 5 years ago and am involved in developing an intentional community with the values of being as sustainable as one can be in our current times. mesalifeproject.org. I heard about your blog via Susan recently and just wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying it and resonant so much with your thinking. Madison County, the people and the natural world there will always have a very special place in my heart. Jennie Davis

[janet]

A spiritual teacher I admire, Byron Katie, would probably say...the car ran over the turtle crushing it to death only once - how many times did you replay this violent image in your mind? This wisdom helps me to not exacerbate the violence I witness. When we were young my older brother tortured toads among other small and vulnerable creatures. I asked him why and he said, "because I can". It was very painful to hear that. Then I read that skunks eat toads, but first push them and roll them cruelly until the toad exudes all its poison and is safe to eat.

[Caroline]

I love your posts. I have the same feeling about the other creatures of the world. (And some disdain for the god lovers who like to kill these creatures.)