Even Turtles Have Hurdles

It's that time of year again, when I keep my eyes peeled for the first turtle I see near my Dad's house.

There's a pond nearby, and it makes me smile every time I help a turtle cross the road.

As most turtles don't waste a step, I can generally tell which way they are headed.

It is one of two places:
1) pond
2) woods

Unlike humans, turtles don't often waffle on where they are headed.

They move so slowly, they cannot afford to waste a single step.

I have never encountered a turtle planted smack-dab on the yellow line, walking down the middle of the road. Pointing to one side or the other makes it easy to help them along.

"Going THIS way? Let me help you. I'll accept the fact that you DID NOT bite me as a sufficient thank you."

There are SOME people out there who see a turtle walking across the road and will return it to where it's journey began, laughing because they just made it retrace its steps all over again, adding to the risk that someone is going to come along and play turtle Tiddly-Winks with their SUV.

I have seen people do this, and I have a special name for them.

They are douchebags.

Why do I say this?

Because they don't limit their antics to turtles...they do it to people too.

Ever have someone who COULD HAVE helped you achieve something actually throw up a roadblock instead, slowing your progress to a crawl...or causing you to retrace your steps to success?

Yup, I have too.

For too many years, I would withdraw into my shell to avoid confrontation, dealing with my re-location once they were done.

Not so much anymore.

Now I'll dig in and hold my ground, or I'll bite them (metaphorically speaking, of course, but they get the point).

You see, my journey is too important to me to get derailed by people who don't have my positive final destination in mind.

I am here to make good things happen, with my speaking and my writing.

If you're too tired or disillusioned to discover it for yourself, yet you wish to move in a good direction, feel free to ride my shell for a while.

But if you are here to stall my journey, or mow me down just because you get a thrill out of disrupting good things, then you can keep on walking.

Where are YOU headed these days?

If I cross your path, I will happily help you along...as long as I can tell which way you're going.

I believe that MOST of the people you encounter will feel the same way.

No matter how slow your progress may feel some days, please keep chugging along.

You'll get there.

See you at the pond!

-Steven Gamlin
www.stevegamlin.com