Parable of the Turtle

A turtle family went on a picnic. The turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outings. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found it. For about six months they cleaned up the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements.

Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home.

Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.

Three years passed-- and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years.. then in the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and began to unwrap a sandwich.

At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, "SEE I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt."

The Moral Is...

Some of us waste our lives waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing; however, we don't do anything ourselves.

Haha, a great parable reminds us of a simple truth—stop waiting for others to live up to our expectation; we could fulfill our own expectations by successive actions. After all, we are always our best friends who know what we ask for, what we expect for, what we like to be treated, what we enjoy doing, who we love, whom we enjoy talking to, whom we wish to write to, whom we are willing to share some special moments with, and even what we are supposed to do now.

Stop excepting others to meet our expectations, just do whatever makes ourselves happier while taking our responsibilities seems to be more realistic and meaningful.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”quoted by Aristotle, could be a great reminder as well.  The habit which I wish to form right now is simple--enjoy my happiness with various smiles. 

I do wish both of us could  have excellent smiles.

Helen with a hopeful smile