I guess most everyone here has figured out that I like to talk a lot, or at least type a lot, so here goes something I find not only interesting, but way more important than we really give credit to..

So I believe in general, that I am a pretty nice person, though flaws like, forgetfulness really can make me seem like a ****. Anyway, I was heading over to town yesterday, it was very nice, I had the windows down, had some of my favorite music playing, and of course, my gay pirate glasses on (but I totally rock them!). Anyway, some of you know where I live is a very wooded area, and there is wildlife everywhere. We have deer, elk, raccoon, bears, and well anyway you get the point. I was very much just enjoying being all out in it. So as I was coming around a sharp curve, just past a bridge, I saw something in the road. Now my eyesight isn't what it use to be, and with this stupid diabetes, it is getting even worse. Figuring it was more than likely a dead animal I didn't decide to slow down, but as I got right up on it, I realized it was a turtle.

I swerved to avoid it (And thankfully did), but as I traveled on, I began to feel bad for this little guy. He was making his way to the creek, and hadn't even made it across the first lane of traffic. Now granted where I live, there isn't a lot of traffic, but the spot he was in, is kind of a blind spot, and anything coming the other way may not have time to stop or to swerve to avoid him. Even with this knowledge, I was convincing myself that I didn't have time to stop to help him out, or that the danger of me stopping to help, outweighed his plight. So I briefly decided to go on.

Well, about 1/2 a mile down the road, I couldn't get the poor guy out of my mind, and what a task it must have been for him to make his way from the mountains to the creek just to get some water. So I found a wide spot on the very narrow road, and turned my car around. Oddly enough, on the not so traveled road, on my way back, there were cars behind me, and cars coming the other way, which made me only hope that he hadn't been squished yet.

As I approached the curve where I had last seen him, I could see in the distance, though not so well, that he was still sitting in the same spot. Which, to be honest gave me a bit of relief. For some reason at this point I felt like I had became responsible for him. I slowed my vehicle, easing the traffic behind to acclimate them for the stop I was going to make. There were no places to pull off the road where he was, so stopping in the road was my only option.

I came to a stop, clicked on the hazard lights, and stepped out of the car. While the hazard lights would work fine for the cars behind me, they wouldn't work so well for the ones coming towards me. So after I stepped out, I put both hands up, waving at the cars coming my way, to signal for them to stop, which worked, and I know by the time they stopped they had to be thinking, "What is this crazy person doing?". After they stopped, I got the turtle and walked him over to the creek, walked down the bank, and sat him down just beside of the water. I knew this was a bit much to go through over a turtle, but I just felt like it had to be done. I walked back up the creek bank, and to my surprise some of the cars beeped their horns, and either waved, or gave me a thumbs up, which actually made me feel good considering I was thinking they would be upset that I stopped traffic over a turtle.

I left from there feeling quite good about what I had done, and about the life I probably saved. Granted it wasn't a person, but a life is a life in my eyes. Skipping ahead, I ended up having one of the best days I have had in quite sometime. It seemed like things just went my way, and instead of just blowing off the turtle incident, I took time to realize that I was being repaid the kindness I had shown, and that in its self put a big smile on my face.

I said all that, to say this (for those of you still maybe reading hehe) imagine if we put a quarter of that effort into helping out fellow our fellow man/woman the great things life would bring back around out way. I think this goes for all aspects of our life, be it work, family, friends, here in our gaming community, basically in our everyday walk in life. I think if we could apply this to ourselves, and instead of thinking, what can we do for ourselves, and more of what can we do for others, it would be a life changing experience. It doesn't take a lot to be nice or to be helpful, and it seems more often than not, we put way more effort into being the exact opposite.

Anyway, just wanted to share that with you all, and I hope you have an awesome day!

Shane A.K.A. Chameleon