The Tortoise and the Heron

Tortoises are the epitome of longevity and patience. They can live for hundreds of years because they move so slowly, conserving their energy and not rushing towards their goals. Their durable shells provide a solid home where they can protect themselves from the world, and so they do not need to waste effort finding shelter. They amble about, searching lethargically and calmly for food and their fellow animals. In short, they know how to wait for good things. I started thinking about tortoises today when I found the Tortoise Sundial in Holland Park today, and found it particularly fitting that they had been chosen to decorate a structure associated with the passage of time.

Those tortoises are made of bronze and are not real, but there is another, very much alive creature in Holland Park that also represents patience and endurance. That is the heron. I have seen herons stand in water, motionless and sharp, for long periods of time, waiting for the perfect moment to stab their beak into the water and seize their prey. Even in the mornings, when not hunting, they can perch quietly on walls or buildings, and wait for the coming of the light and warmth of the sun.

We, too, need patience in these times. The rise of social media, of rapid travel and deliveries, and of the internet has made us used to things happening every more quickly. But coronavirus will not fade into the dark with such speed. I hope that we can wait for it to pass, and not too rashly before then. After all, there is a reason why the saying 'patience is a virtue' is so often used.

 Perching on the wall, a heron warms itself up for a long day








            Bronze tortoises decorating the Tortoise sundial                 in Holland Park 

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