A sea turtle has an alluring presence. Slow and steady, it glides through the water, rising occasionally for a breath of air. There is a quiet grace to the sea turtle’s slowness, and a friendliness that surpasses human understanding. Its large eyes look like they hold the wisdom of a thousand years.

Being from Hawaii, I’ve had a lot of experience with sea turtles. During my times of grieving and times of joy, I would go to the beach and sure enough, a sea turtle would poke up its cute little head to say hello. 

I believe you can learn much from sea turtles, and especially if you feel a special connection to them. Here are some lessons I’ve learned from the sea turtles in my life. 

Sometimes you have to dig yourself out of a hole you didn’t dig. 

Life isn’t always fair. Baby turtles have to literally dig themselves out of the holes that their mothers buried them in. They have to trek to the ocean in the hopes that they will survive the attacks from other animals and make it in general. Sometimes we experience challenges caused by other people. However, if we ho’omau, push forward, with a hope for the future, we will make it!

Make time for the beach. 

Sea turtles rest at the beach after their long journeys through the water. I’ve been fortunate to see many sea turtles stop by and rest at the beach. I learned that if we don’t make time to rest and refresh, we could drown in our own seas of life.

Slow down. 

Sea turtles move slow and steady. We can learn a lot about slowing down from them, especially when we have crazy work schedules and lives. In the fast-paced world we live in, it’s easy to get caught up in the “thick of thin” things. Slowing down has helped me recognize the things that matter most. Slowing down has truly helped me live a more aloha life.

Come out of your shell. 

Unlike certain land turtles, sea turtles are almost always out of their shells. They don’t seem to mind the tourists crowding around, eager to take pictures.

I don’t think we need to endure the paparazzi of others like a sea turtle, but I do feel that we should reach out. As we choose a life of service, we find a deep satisfaction that can’t be found anywhere else.

Age gracefully. 

I remember a certain turtle named Koa. He had a huge dent in his shell, probably the result of a boat propeller or perhaps he had once been dashed against the rocks. However, he still looked so beautiful, and he still went about his daily activities with the same grace as the other turtles.

Radar, who is pictured above, is probably one of the biggest turtles I’ve known. She has a very distinct white patch on her back–a result of the UH-Hilo Marine Biology program. She wears it with grace.

After seeing all different kinds of sea turtles, I came to realize that every sea turtle has a personal history. Similarly, every person has a history–but every person chooses what to do with that history. We can live our lives bitter about all the scars of the past, or we can learn from them and keep pressing forward with hope.

Life is better with a good friend. 

Sea turtles can usually be found swimming alone, but occasionally you might find one with a little sea turtle friend. While many people might say life is easier when done alone, I say we need other people. We gain rich satisfaction from healthy relationships and being in lokahi, unity, with our loved ones.

Enjoy the views. 

Whether the sea turtles travel with or without friends, they have beautiful views of the ocean, the sky, and the waves. To some, these views may seem mundane, but the turtles don’t ever seem to mind. They didn’t ever seem to mind seeing me at the beach everyday either.

This taught me to just enjoy where you’re at, whether you’re at work or at home. Enjoy the place in your life, even if it’s the same thing. If you are working towards a dream or goal, go for it–yet still enjoy the process and journey!

Do you love sea turtles and want to help protect them?

Did you know that it’s easy to make a wildlife conservation contribution? Fahlo is a wildlife conservation company that sells affordable, cute bracelets. Each bracelet comes with a turtle that you can track. Fahlo sends the proceeds to conservation efforts that support and protect turtles, sharks, polar bears, and elephants. I love that I can wear a bracelet reminding me to mālama the earth and its animals.

If you want to get your own bracelet, or, even better, gift a bracelet to a turtle loving friend, check out Fahlo. Use my code LEIALOHA20 to get 20% off your order!

I want to get a sea turtle bracelet that supports wildlife conservation efforts!

Is there an animal that is special in your life? What lessons have you learned from it? Share in the comments below! 

Lots and lots of aloha, 

Lei 

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