Learning from ‘turtle mentality’

If crab mentality is negative and unfavorable, we should also be aware of pawikan or turtle mentality, which is positive and admirable!

Here’s a true story: Recently, we were lucky enough to watch a nest of marine turtles hatch at 10 in the evening.

As a backgrounder, a mother turtle goes back to the area where she was born when she’s about 20 years old. In the case that we witnessed, the mother pawikan went back to San Juan, La Union, where she laid 110 eggs some two months ago.

Her babies had a good strategy. Since the eggs were laid in a big pile, those at the bottom tried to push themselves to the top! In an admirable display of teamwork and coordination, they helped push one another upward. In the end, no one was left in the hole! It took them 40 minutes to complete the task—and it was amazing to see!

Fearless babies

The moon was bright. After gathering the hatchlings, we released them and watched them slowly make their way to the ocean before midnight. There were big waves, but the babies were fearless, because they knew that the ocean was their home!

This reminded us  of how we, as spirit souls, need not fear going home to the spiritual world from which we originated. We may have to face big challenges, but our Father beckons. The material world we now inhabit is artificial and temporary—and we’re struggling because we’re trying to grow roots in an unnatural habitat!

There are lessons to learn from those little creatures. Let us similarly be brave as we embark our journey back home. Don’t let artificial happiness distract us. Let’s help one another emerge as self-realized beings, out of the darkness!