I came across Mr. Turtle on my way home this morning.

He reminded me that it is okay to go at my own pace. To trust my journey, and realize, I am exactly where I should be at, at just the right time.

I think it is safe to say, “So are you.”

Only moments before I noticed Mr. Turtle, I was sitting in my car and had thoughts try to take up residence in my mind. Had it not been for Mr. Turtle crossing my path, that might have happened.

These were the thoughts that wanted to settle in my thinking:

• My pace in life is slow, too slow.
• My progress in all the areas of my life is and always has moved too slow.
• I do things much slower than other people do.

Of course, all these thoughts are false.
I am thankful Mr. Turtle was on my path to remind me that my thoughts were false.

I know I am not alone in having these thoughts, or at least similar thoughts. It is astonishing, the number of the people in their twenties that feel they should be farther along in reaching their goals. Recent college graduates struggling with what they feel is lack of accomplishments.

From the three thoughts I had, the worst one was the last thought.

Comparing ourselves to other people does not allow us to live our best life. In addition, this type of comparison, can drain us of all our ‘HAPPY’, and cause us to be much less, than we were created to be.

Each of us is unique in our own way, and individually have a purpose that is unique to us. We are here for such a time as this.

When I looked down at Mr. Turtle, (BTW: I never did officially check the gender of the turtle) he was doing what he was made to do, moving at his own pace, going along his way being a turtle. He was not trying to be a fish, dog, or any other animal. He was complete in being a turtle, at his pace, doing his purpose.

As I watched the turtle move forward, thoughts replaced the false ones form earlier:

• Looking at the turtle, I thought; he is slow, but moving forward and doing what he was created to do, and doing it at the pace, he was made to do it.
• Mr. Turtle was pleasing his Creator by doing what was natural for him to do, living life at his own pace.
• His Creator loves him, just the way he is. My Creator loves me, just the way I am.

So, go at your own pace. Sometimes, it might be fast, and sometimes slow. As long as you are going, doing, living your purpose, everything will work out at just the right time.

Our lives undoubtedly will not be perfect, but things will fall into place when we learn to live like Mr. Turtle.