3 Important Life Lessons From Bud the Turtle

Turtles are single-minded when in pursuit of a goal. I’ve had 25 years to observe this phenomenon, and expect to continue these observations for another 15 years. Domesticated turtles have long lives, although calling them “domesticated” might be pushing things a bit. Turtles do what they want to do. They take the stereotypes of cats to the utter limits.

Bud the turtle was rescued as a baby from being run over by a forklift on a loading dock. He’d wandered far from his birth pond and didn’t seem in a hurry to return to it, there being so much of the world to explore. So he found himself in a new home as we were worried that his adventurousness would cut his brave little life very short.

He lived in a well-stocked fish tank for a few days, until the day the kids came running with the news that half of the albino frog was missing. The fish population seemed suspiciously thin, and the turtle too obviously smug, so he was moved to a large dish bin filled with water. This pissed him off. He’s been roaming the floors as my work from home co-worker ever since.

Did I mention he’s a water turtle? Bud is a yellow-bellied slider, a close relative of the better-known red-eared slider. He goes into the water to eat because that’s the only way these turtles can eat, but spends the rest of his time wandering, basking, and teaching us life lessons. The following are the things he would tell you if turtles could talk.

Climb Mountains

Climbing mountains is turtle shorthand for taking risks and exploring. Although, in certain circumstances it can actually mean, go climb a mountain. If Bud the Turtle were anywhere near a mountain, he would certainly attempt to literally climb it.

Turtles are fearless. Yes, they withdraw into their shells when they feel threatened, but that’s just a very specific form of self-preservation. They’re aware that threats come in the form of other creatures. What they don’t believe is that any actions they personally take can cause them any harm. They sometimes take this too far, so don’t go overboard with this lesson. Google “turtles climbing fences” for excellent examples of this concept.

Believe in yourself. Attempt everything. Turtles do.

Play

I’ve seen videos of turtles playing with balls, pushing them around, chasing after them. They’re adorable. Bud is completely uninterested in balls. What he does love is paper. The louder and crinklier the better. Christmas day, with piles of tissue and wrapping paper filling the floor is the best day of the year to him. Newspapers are also good. Magazines don’t make enough noise.

Also, climbing things isn’t just about taking risks or getting where you want to go. Bud thinks this is fun. Pillows are awesome, but a small mountain of unfolded laundry is the best.

Take some time out from the serious business of living to play with what makes you happy, regardless of what anyone thinks.

Make New Friends

I was worried when my daughter moved in with her two long-haired cats. Cats that clearly have Norwegian Forest Cat in their lineage. Cats that can make small dogs run in terror. Now, Bud has a painful bite if he’s pushed hard enough, but cats have claws. I thought it might be a toss-up.

It turns out all three saw the inevitable and became friends. The cats don’t tease the turtle, and he discovered that under their long, soft fur is a great place to take a nap.

Make friends with people who are really different from you because you never what the benefits will be and how much you’ll enjoy each other’s company.

Because I work from home, I'm able to spend a lot of time caring for and playing with these cohabitating creatures. They're pets, companions and co-workers, all in one. Unlike the cats, Bud can't jump up on my desk and lay on the laptop while I'm trying to write. What he does instead is haul himself onto my feet to take a nap. This is cute, until I lose all feeling in my extremities. It did give me time to write about him. Now I'm off to painfully shake out the pins and needles in my feet.