To Let Go

Twenty two years ago, i had a turtle. I captured him and kept him in a box. I gave him food and water and thought he would love me and stay in my house. But the turtle wouldn’t eat. Finally, my daddy, who had said it was okay to keep the turtle, told me to let him go.


My dad didn’t make me do this right away. I didn’t want to let the turtle go because i loved him. He seemed very old but charming and wise. He most likely was older than me. I thought the turtle had something great to tell and share with me.


When my parents and I were on our way to go to the store, my dad told me I had to put the turtle back where i found him. So I placed him back under the very same bush. At that time, the turtle seemed in no great hurry to leave. I took this as a sign that the turtle loved me and would stay, that the problem was the box, not me. Now that the turtle was outside, he would choose to stay.


As we left in the car, my dad thought that this was not true. The turtle will leave, he said. "No", I told him. When we returned home, I looked under the very same bush. The turtle was gone. I looked under other bushes, then the yard, then the street. No turtle. I cried. I think the turtle didn’t love me, that he had nothing to say to me after all.




Today, the spear like flower points to the sky. I have become aware that every live creatures is not a pet we can keep in the box and cultivate the way we want. Every live creatures will gone. The earth herself will not speak to us.
I have learn something precious: to let go….

I remember you, turtle.