Yes, there is a Turtle Pose in Yoga

Yes, there is a turtle pose in Yoga.

I googled it this afternoon.

And like a lot of Yoga poses, I’m not sure I could do it without dislocating several joints and/or making several unintentional noises (see also my grandfather’s essay on whether it’s appropriate to groan during physical therapy).

But I was thinking about turtles this morning at the Wetlands.

I get such unexpected joy from turtles.

Unexpected because—well, they’re turtles.  They’re pretty common and not very pretty or graceful.

And yet, whether it’s watching them spin themselves and each other off a log a few weeks ago or watching the one this morning stretch to the sun—I get them.

I get them.

They’re not blessed with much, but they make the most of what they are given.

They respect the sun.

They know how much they need it.

And so, the one this morning balanced his belly on the log, stretched out his head to the sun and then stretched out his back legs in his own turtle Yoga pose, and then he wiggled his toes.

I am not making that up.  He wiggled his toes.

How can I not love something that always brings a smile to my face?