Harold the Green Sea Turtle

The dream this time was a fun and interesting one. On this occasion I am marine science graduate student. I am working on a project studying the Green sea turtle. It seems I am in Hawaii, or maybe Florida, and I am doing an internship with some sort of marine park. The lead scientist is a woman who is a thirty something, and very attractive. I see her in khaki shorts and shirt with a floppy hat and sun glasses.

So here's the deal: the marine park has a captive male Green sea turtle named Harold. Green sea turtles are an endangered species, and because of warmer global sea temperatures, an over abundance of female sea turtles in the population has occurred in the natural environment. Temperature, it seems, effects what gender sea turtle hatchlings will become. The goal of this experiment is to use Harold to mate with wild female Green turtles to counter this trend and ensure that a healthy male Green turtle is made available to the breeding females.

The marine park, with an army of volunteers, as brought Harold down to the beach in hopes of getting him to mate with the migrating females that are showing up at this time. A local police officer is redirecting traffic away our transport truck. The officer is thrilled to be doing this sort of work. It is a fun change of pace from his usual crime fighting duties and he is watching the proceedings with great interest.

Well, next I see our group of scientists and volunteers clustered together as the lead scientists discusses with them the plans for this evening. Harold, it seems has busted loose from his restraints and has escaped. The urge to mate has overtaken him and he is not about to wait on his caretakers. Minutes later the group as realized what has happened and is in a mad dash for the beach in hopes of recapturing Harold before he gets away.

The lead marine scientist woman has found Harold. He has somehow made his way down some concrete steps at the shore and has found two females interested in mating with them. I see Harold stroking his two "lady friends" with his front flippers in the water at the foot of the steps. The marine scientist is greatly relieved to have located him. This is where I wake up.

So what is the symbolism of the sea turtle?   The sea turtle is symbolic of long life. Some of the oldest fossils on earth are 200 million years old and are of sea turtles. The turtle has a long life span and they have a record of endurance. As the old adage goes, "slow and steady wins the race" so aptly applies to the turtle. It is an admirable character with few predators. It is a stoic, careful persistent survivor in a harsh and fast paced world.

Sea turtles share an association with the symbolic meaning of water as well. Water is symbolic of emotions and intuition. In Asia, the turtle, is symbolic of the cosmic order and it's shell is used in divination. The turtle embodies the motherhood principle and creation. Harold was doing his bit in that department.

Now how to apply these symbolic meanings to my own life? I can so relate to Harold. I have been running a slow and steady race all my life, and I certainly felt like a captive, while serving in the military for most of my adult life. I put on hold any dreams of having a career or getting married, and starting a family. Old lucky Harold now has his choice of willing females. I am discovering that being a mature experienced man has its advantages late in life with the ladies too.

My unconscious may be telling me to be like Harold. It is time to break free of the old restraints and live my destiny. This, at least, is the message I most want to take away. My time has come and my slow, and steady persistence may now be paying off. I have a new job and soon will have a new young wife. Perhaps, I can win this race, after all. We shall see.