Welcome! Let me introduce myself again. 

In our family of three, each of us has an animal that goes with how and who we are in the world.  

I am a turtle.  Why the turtle?  

This animal has to stick its neck out to go anywhere when it may prefer to stay in its comfortable shell and watch, observe, let others know what it sees while moving along at the pace of… yes, you guessed it.  A turtle.  

To get anywhere it really does need to be, to do what needs to be done, it has to stick that neck out and move.  

Move along the rocks and perhaps up and over bumps to get where the path goes.  It may take a turtle a long time to get somewhere and yet it will get there.

Once it sticks out its neck. 

And yet…. There is risk and danger when the neck is out.

Why would the turtle do it? It has this awesome shell that is there to hang out in, to build up as the turtle gets older.  You could decorate this shell! 

I ask again. Why would a turtle stick its neck out? 

That is a question.  It is where I am. Asking the question. 

This could be one way to introduce myself.

This could be one way to introduce myself to those who are thinking about it for themselves. 

It seems I have always been a turtle.  I was a parallel player as a young child. The one who watches for the tricks to be done on the monkey bars on the playground before trying it. 

I always found my place on the grass with plenty of room, made sure there was arm’s length around me first.

Then started whirling around with my arms open wide as we all spun in circles with friends before dropping to the grass laughing.  

Here is when I learned how to hike up the mountains and watched where to put my feet to stay safe with family and friends before teaching the skills to another. 

This is when I got through the day, did things well the first time, learned to stay under the radar at home and at school and to take care of business.  I liked my corner of the world. 

I liked to watch first and then do.  

What is this about sticking out my neck and being like a turtle on the move? 

Why would you do that? 

What makes a turtle move?

There has to be a reason. 

I found that reason. 

Later in my life, our son needed me to watch and learn and take notes and stick out my neck and do some things. 

I could not imagine what I was going to do at that time. Do again and again, for him and with him, at the drop of a hat. 

Say something when he needed me to say things for him and do it quickly.  

Not later. But as soon as things were seen.  

Like a turtle on a beach going into the ocean for the first time.  

Go introduce yourself as the next steps are taken.

Get moving!  Go introduce yourself as the next steps are taken. 

Do it while still learning, searching for questions to ask, listening and learning some more. There was a goal, and I was drawn to it.  

I am now sticking my neck out once again.

Here. With you. 

The turtle neck is coming out of the shell and I’m on the move.  Again. 

Let’s see where we go on this learning and listening time. 

Welcome, my friends.  I am a turtle.