tortoise
ovenbird
The
tortoise
swimming
in
this
pool
is
a
buddhist_monk,
or
he
is
whatever
the
tortoise equivalent
of
a
buddhist monk
is
.
You
can
tell
because
of
his
beatific
smile
. Tortoises don’t
normally
smile
in
a
way
that
immediately imparts
a
sense
of
deeply
earned
peace
,
but
this
one
does
.
This
is
the
Pema_Chodron
of
tortoises.
He
swims
in
the
water
that
comes
up
to
my
chest
and
as
he
passes
by
his
head
comes
up
like
a
periscope
and
he
shines
his
wise
smile
on
me
until
I
am
filled
with
serenity.
He
makes
a
few
more
passes,
turning
his
wizened
face
to
mine
and
letting
his
jovial toothless
mouth
become
a
tool
of
enlightenment.
This
tortoise carries
a
trove
of
profound
knowledge
and
I
know
that
I
am
misunderstanding
the
nuance
of
his
message
.
I
am
too
unsophisticated
to
grasp
the
implications
in
their
entirety.
But
it
is
enough
to
be
in
the
presence
of
something
so
sapient
and
sage
so
I
let
him
send
tendrils
of
tranquility
into
every
breathing
cell
of
my
body
.
I
experience
a
buoyancy
that
comes
from
within
.
If
I
could
see
myself
from
afar
I
wouldn’t
be
surprised
to
find
myself
glistering,
sparkling
, flaming, glancing
towards
my
own
joy
.
250712
what's it to you?
who
go
blather
from
