Turtle, turtle

I love the blend of tension and unity that happens when flora and fauna embrace within a consistent context. Here, the physical strength of stone is the conceptual and visual base for the shell (and shelter) of the turtle, as well as the textural ground for a flowering of life. Whether aided by six legs, a pair of wings, luminescent scales, a sly slithering, or an instant ability to disappear within a fortress of armour, these creatures are endowed with context-driven content: the very apparently designed ability to work optimally within their own inhabited space.

This engagement with space happens at a much more complex level when men and women get involved. Our faculties of reason and faith imply a responsibility towards context, whether it be urban, rural, or otherwise wild. Sometimes our actions respect, sometimes they colonize our contexts: but all too often they leave behind such oily mud-puddles as these, which facilitate the dim scowl in a turtle’s reflection. So if these colour choices bother you as much as they bother me, let’s live as shepherds, and not squanderers of earthly space.

Shalom.

Turtle, turle – Large