I’ve made friends with the local beach turtle who has been entertaining me, zigzagging across the beach, never really going anywhere or doing anything, just crawling along like he has all the time in the world, which he probably does. He stops now and then to munch on something green and then tilts his head to look at me, so I think we are friends. I’ve posted a couple of videos about him on Facebook and even named him, Zippy. He inches across the dunes, and I thought a clever nickname might encourage him to move more and faster, but so far it hasn’t worked. However, he probably does his 10,000 steps every day without so much as a glance at a pedometer. After all, he has four feet, twice as many as I do.
My much older brother suggested that I write a blog about him, comparing him to myself. He didn’t elaborate, but I think he meant slow-moving and wrinkly as he laughed when he mentioned it, then quickly changed the subject. While some see Zippy as sluggish, I see him as deliberate, always moving ahead (I’ve never seen him move backwards or sideways) and he never falters at barking dogs that yap when they see him, rather withdraws into his shell, warding off the slings and arrows being tossed his way.
Today is my birthday, I’ve lived three quarters of a century and it makes a girl think, just twenty-five more and I’ll be at the century level. Turtles, according to Dr. Google, can easily live a hundred years, and I’m thinking, why not me?
I, like Zippy, move slowly and deliberately, but I keep moving, seldom backwards or sideways, mostly straight ahead. I’ve had plenty of slings and arrows shot my way through the years and fought them off, no need complaining, as another quiver full of something is aimed my direction. My wrinkles are rewards for wisdom and my memory lapses (what was I saying?) are due to the massive amount of both significant and insignificant information that is crammed in my brain, including a lot of literary characters who are clamoring to get out and be recorded on paper. I did notice that Zippy has shriveled feet, and I’ll have to watch out for those.
Those of you who read my blogs, including my brothers, have given me much encouragement, which are a different kind of sling and arrow and I thank you. I’ll take a deep breath and keep on doing what I do, including wearing my mask.
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