What the sea turtles taught me

I almost skipped the presentation on sea turtles. It was toward the end of the afternoon during a writers' workshop at St. Simons Island, GA. and I thought longingly of a nap in my nearby hotel room. And really, what did sea turtles have to do with writing, and my writing in particular?

Someone engaged me in conversation and the presentation started, so I stayed. To my surprise, within a few minutes I was totally engaged. The presentation about these fascinating and endangered animals was excellent. I was amazed at the dedication and skill of experts who study and rehabilitate the species. And I wrote a note to myself, quoting one of the presenters, who said,

If you should see a sea turtle on the road, pull over and gently carry it to safety on the other side. Don't turn it around; you will only confuse it. Send it in the direction it was going.

What a great metaphor for writing. And life.