Six years ago my youngest daughter spent a day “shadowing” our veterinarian. The vet brought in a blind turtle she was going to put to sleep. My daughter asked if she could have it. Short version, I have been caring for “Leo” ever since.
Leo and I have a relationship. I know his sounds and moods, he knows I am a source of food, clean water and trips outside. After last years pilgrimage to Assisi I renamed Leo, “Brother Leo” after Francis’ close friend.
Three weeks ago I forgot to bring Brother Leo in at bedtime. The next morning he was gone. We have raccoons in our yard and hawks and crows in our neighborhood. Leo was dead and it was my fault. Yesterday, while thinking about the pilgrimage I bumped into Brother Leo in my yard. It was 90 degrees out, he was hot and angry but alive. I put him in his indoor pool, fed him and gave thanks for him.
After doing a little research though one thing became apparent, Brother Leo is a female! Still in the Franciscan tradition of friars on pilgrimage taking turns being the “mother” and after Lady Jacobi being named “Brother Jacobi” so she could visit her good and ill friend Francis, I think this little girl will remain “Brother Leo”!
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