The Illuminative Path of the Sea Turtle

One early morning while walking down the beach on Hilton Head Island, I saw the footprints of a loggerhead sea turtle.  The night before, the female turtle came ashore, laid her eggs, and returned to the ocean. 

The tracks presented me with a little logic puzzle.  One set was longer than the other.  Which one did the turtle make when she came to shore?  (Answer below)

The tracks also provided a metaphor for the spiritual life – how to move from what Saint John of the Cross calls the purgative to the illuminative stage of spiritual growth.

The sea turtles are endangered. On the Island is the “Sea Turtle Patrol,” a volunteer organization dedicated to saving the sea turtles.  As soon as a nest is spotted, like the one I found that morning, they surround the nest with caution tape and post notices advising people to stay away.  (It’s a great cause.  I’m running a 5K race on the beach this week to benefit their efforts.  But I think I’ll look more like the turtles than the other runners.)

The island takes measures to protect the sea turtles. No bright lights are allowed near the shore after 10 PM.  The artificial lights confuse the hatchlings. On a natural beach setting, the brightest area is the ocean as it reflects the moon and the stars.  When the hatchlings emerge from the nest, they instinctively travel away from the darkness into the light. The hatchlings are born with limited energy.  If they follow the wrong lights, they will most likely perish.  When extinguishing all light is not possible, properties use filters to mask these misleading lights. 

Additionally, the beach regulations require all people to fill the holes to prevent the turtles from getting stuck in a hole. 

The hatchlings follow the moon and the moon’s reflection on the surface of the ocean.  The moon has sometimes been described as a symbol for Mary, the Mother of the Lord.  Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, Mary reflects the light of the Lord.

What are the spiritual lessons I gleaned from the sea turtles that morning?  One, following the dazzling yet artificial lights of the world can be fatal for both sea turtles and a person’s spiritual life.   Two, if necessary, use a filter like discernment and prayer to blank out the false lights and focus on the true light.  Three, fill in the holes of the past that might cause you to stumble on the pathway to freedom and life.    

P.S.  Answer to the puzzle:  The longer tracks were the turtle returning to the ocean.  The tide covered up a portion of the shorter tracks while the turtle was laying her eggs