Hintons Abroad: June 2016

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Responsibility

Our latest adventure this weekend is the care of an 11 year old hinge-back tortoise. We are reptile-sitting because this little guy is in transition. His original family is moving back to Canada and his new family is out of town. The girls are excited. Ok, that’s an understatement—they are obsessed. We may have trouble handing little Tortue (French for turtle) over to his new family! They even spent an hour last week decorating his box in anticipation (you can see some below) with scenes of things they thought he might enjoy--bugs, grass, cloudy skies.

Fun fact: many languages (Kiswahili included) do not have different terms for turtles and tortoises. They just don't make the distinction. It's the opposite of that urban legend about Eskimos and their many many words for snow. Or click here if you're really into the debate and want it discussed by a linguist from Berkeley. Growing up with tortoises (and sometimes a few turtles, too) at my parents' house, we have been careful to teach the girls the differences between amphibians and reptiles!

He is a cutie, and feisty too. We were warned not to put him down in the yard because he’s an escape artist. He wiggles his legs when you pet his shell just the way he likes it. He stretches his neck to have his head rubbed, or when he sees a tasty treat...like that slug we found yesterday.

“Every time I pick him up, he smiles.” –Claire

They watch him, they pet him, they shove pieces of food ever closer to his face, “in case he can’t see it, Mommy.” It’s touching to watch. To see their pride when they showed friends who came over, how they wanted to teach them everything about the little guy. They are concerned that “he feels sad because he had to say goodbye to his mommy and will miss her.” So, they shower him with love. He’s a lucky little guy.

Of course, I saw the teachable moment and talked about responsibility. How animals need to be cared for. How being responsible for something or someone is a huge gift but also a huge sacrifice. And they got it. And I probably waxed on too long, making sure.

And then I stopped in my tracks because that is what I needed to be reminded of: how beautiful it is to love and care for another being. How it can seem like we shower love and kindness upon others and most days it looks like it’s just bouncing off their shells while they go on, oblivious to our ministrations. At least that’s what raising little ones, or being married, or seeking friends can feel like to me when I’m feeling grouchy. But when I step back, I can see that loving without expectations isn’t futile—it’s the most precious way to love.

May I learn from the love that my girls give with so much abandon, to fiercely care, to give just for the joy of it because I have something to give.

Aren’t we all wishing to have faith enough to shout, “Tortoise, I love you!” like Ainsley does. To have faith that the world is listening; is receiving all that love.