 I have written about Shelly the tortoise before because, frankly, he fascinates me, but this time I want to focus on something different about Shelly....his calming spirit.. He was bought as a gift (from a licensed breeder) for my granddaughter Zoe and he is now probably 10 years old. He has found his place in a household of four people and five dogs and I think that he has decided that he is just one of the dogs. For cold blooded reptiles, turtles and tortoises can be very sweet...and intelligent. Shelly has quite a personality: he comes when you call him, follows the dogs around the house when it is either too hot or cold for him to be in his large fenced in yard or overnight pen and he comes up to be petted or stroked under his chin. He bangs on the back door with his shell to be let in, he makes little noises when he's hungry and he makes little hissing sounds when he is not happy (but he does not bite). He comes to me as I have blond hair and I think he thinks I am my daughter who also has blond hair and who is his main caretaker. I call him and he turns to look and then heads straight toward me. In the morning, I enjoy looking out the window to watch him walk slowly around the yard. It's very calming. In looking up tortoises on the Internet I found that they have been used as therapy pets with children when dogs or cats are not an option. They are gentle (at least a red footed tortoise like Shelly is). As one school chaplain who uses a tortoise to work with young children with anxiety, stated... "tortoises are very symbolic. They take small steps and they don't carry anything they don't need - this is vital when it comes to managing anxiety. The children need to be able to release and unburden themselves from worry and stress." |  Left: Shelly loves his peas, corn and beans, but hisses or ignores his carrots Below: (upper) Shelly greets his "teddy tortoise" (lower) he comes up for his petting with the dogs.   |
I am someone who never stops but when I watch Shelly, I do slow down to enjoy him with his little body shuffling as he moves slowly but deliberately through the grass. It is relaxing and I am sure that it is good for my blood pressure which tends to elevate to higher readings. Perhaps watching this gentle little creature of the animal kingdom slowly leading his simple, uncluttered life is a form of meditation for me....and a reminder to slow down myself.
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