Take Charge of Your Diabetes

Many of us strive for a sense of balance in our lives. We want to keep our goals in harmony with our minds and souls. People with diabetes often have stories to share about their struggles for balance and harmony in their lives. We can honor people by listening to and learning from their stories to find meaning and hope for our own lives.

An old, well-loved story, told around the world, is about the turtle and a sure-footed animal, like a rabbit. In this story, the turtle tricks the other animal to win a race—simply by not giving up and by staying on its path. And it has to stick its neck out! It takes determination like that to face diabetes, day after day, reminding yourself that you can do it if you stick to it!

There are about 250 kinds of turtles, and almost all have the same pattern on their top shell—13 plates that fit together in harmony and balance to form a strong shell. The turtle and its shell can remind us of the harmony and balance we seek in all parts of our lives—including living with diabetes.