Joyce Wycoff's Blog

Sarana's Gift: Now available on audible.com

A few days ago, I was headed south to visit with friends. It was a perfect time to review the recorded version of Sarana's Gift read by Rebekah Amber Clark.

It had been months since the book was finished and sent on its way into the world so it was almost like hearing a brand new story.

Perhaps, I shouldn't say this ... but I loved it! Rebekah beautifully brought all the characters to life ... characters like the jealous and powerful, blue peacock god who steals blue from the world and the terrifying dragon who threatens to devour all the turtle hatchlings.

The reading is just under four hours, a perfect diversion for a day trip.

Click here to get your copy.

Chapter 10: Losing Everything

Artists: if this story inspires a piece of art, please share it and what it means to you. We'll share it here on the blog. Send to joycewycoff@gmail.com.

Sarana's GiftChapter 10: Losing Everything
(Available here until 5/11/2016)

Peacock FeatherFor several days I went to Melek’s cave to show him how to make music. One day he felt ready and took a broken stalactite out of the cave into the world and began to play. Birds landed on branches above our heads and added their song. Monkeys laughed and cavorted about. People emerged from the jungle and danced around campfires that glowed orange-red with wispy blue streaks. Melek played to the crowd around him.
Finally, he said he was ready and that it was time to give him the cloth. I returned to the cave and found Tia holding it, but when I asked for it, she refused. “Mine,” she said, gripping it to her chest.
“Tia, you know Melek will never let us keep it,” I pleaded. “Who knows what he will do to me or you or to the world if I don’t give it to him,” I added.
Tia just held the cloth tighter. “Mine,” she squeaked and turned her back on me. I wanted to throttle her but she was being tiny again. I had to think of something else.
I sat on a rock at the edge of the firelight and stared at Tia. I wondered why she was holding onto that cloth with such determination. Was it just Tia being Tia?
I had promised the cloth to Melek as part of the bargain for the feather. I had to keep that promise or he would never let me leave. I had to take the cloth to him or I’d never be safe again.
“Why do you want that cloth, Tia?” I asked. She clutched it to her breast and bared her teeth at me. Right now they looked harmless but I didn’t want to take the chance of getting close to her.
“You know what Melek will do if we anger him,” I said. She just sat stoneyfaced. “He might even steal blue back,” I explained.
Tia jerked up and moaned, “Noooo! Tia keep cloth. Protect blue.” She rocked back and forth, worrying the edge of the cloth and moaning.
“What makes the cloth so important to you, Tia?” I asked as gently as I could. “What are you afraid of?”
Tia glared at me and then grew until the cloth draped around her shoulders and shimmered against her emerald green robe. She spun around and started down a tunnel. Almost out of sight, she turned back and jerked her hand for me to follow.
We wound through many tunnels until we came to a small cave. “Sit,” she said and lit a fire. I watched her every move, but she ignored me until the fire filled the room with warmth and light.
She sat back on her haunches and then pointed behind me and said, “See!”
I turned around and gaped. Symbols and figures of people and animals covered the wall. All done in the most spectacular range of blues. Awestruck, I couldn’t find words to speak, but Tia pointed to herself and then to the wall and said, “Tia. Mother. Grandmother. Grandmother grandmother.”
Frowning, I tried to figure out what she meant. “These are your paintings?” I asked.
She nodded. “Tia. Ancient Tias. Paint spirit dreams. Save world.” Tia’s voice rose as she struggled to make me understand.
I studied the paintings again: spirals, circles, grids, dots and lines as well as turtles, birds, maybe a jaguar, and what could be a dolphin or whale. There were human figures with feathered head pieces, snakes, and huge, dinosaur-like animals. I felt dizzy, like I had been transported to another time and space.
Tia’s words slowly connected with each other in my mind. I turned toward her and asked. “These paintings save the world?”
Tia nodded. “Spirit room. Lose blue. Lose spirit. Lose world.”
“But, blue is back...” I started.
Tia interrupted. “Melek jealous. Find blue spirit room, kill it. Need protection,” she said, gripping the cloth in her fist. “Melek fear cloth. Cloth stop Melek. Tia keep.”
I groaned. What could I do? Melek would destroy the world if he didn’t get the cloth but, if he found these paintings, he would destroy them and that could also destroy the world. “It’s impossible.”
Tia sat immobile and silent while my mind buzzed with questions: Could I talk Melek into letting me keep the cloth? (Not likely.) Could I get the cloth away from Tia? (Also not likely.) Did Tia absolutely need the cloth to protect the paintings? (Not sure.) What would happen if I just left? (Too horrible to think about.)
I waved all these thoughts away and just sat down. Maverna came to mind and I said, “I don’t care what you say, young jaguar, this one is impossible. There’s no way to let Tia keep the cloth if I have to give it to Melek.”
Tia made me nervous as she watched me, waiting for some magical answer, some answer that I knew would never come, could never come since one thing couldn’t be in two places at the same time.
I fiddled with my amulet for a long time until I started tracing the veins of the turquoise into the center of it. Suddenly, I jerked up and asked, “Tia? You called my amulet the ‘power of Ix Chel.’ What did you mean by that?”
Tia remained so quiet I could hear the stream flowing at the edge of the cavern. Then she began to speak in solemn tones. “Ancient symbol. Great Father create for Ix Chel. Source of power. All power.”
“All power?” I said and cocked my head wondering if I had heard her right. “This amulet, ... MY amulet represents All power?”
Tia frowned and nodded her head. She seemed bewildered.
“Does that mean we could stop Melek with it?”
Tia stared at me for several minutes, squinting her eyes and scowling into the darkness. I heard her mumbling but could not understand her words. She seemed to be weighing something in her mind.
Then her eyes grew wide and she reached her hand out and demanded. “Give!”
“Oh no!” I grabbed the amulet and backed away from her. I didn’t want to give it up or lose its power. If it could show me the way home, I still needed it. I didn’t want to lose both the cloth and the amulet.
Tia’s eyes burned but she didn’t move or show any sign of trying to take it away from me. It was as if she knew the amulet belonged to me, that only I could give it away. But, I didn’t want to give it to her.
I wanted to take the cloth and the amulet. “Melek has his music. He doesn’t need the cloth, too. And, if I wait for Tia to fall asleep, I might be able to slip away with both of them.”
Possibilities ran in circles through my mind. Soon, though, I knew what I had to do: the last thing I wanted to do. Tia clutched the cloth and watched me without moving, waiting to see what I would say.
“Tia,” I asked, “if I give you the amulet, would it protect you and the paintings?”
She paused for a moment and then nodded.
“If I give you the amulet, will you let me have the rainbow cloth to give to Melek?”
She frowned and tightened her grip on the cloth. Light played across her face and I saw her jaw tighten. Her eyes flicked back and forth and her breathing was shallow. Then her whole body sagged and looking at the ground, she held the cloth out to me. As I took off my amulet, pain gripped my chest. For a long moment, I memorized the symbol and the veins of the turquoise before handing it to Tia and taking the cloth.
Reflecting the fire, a few rainbows danced on the ceiling as the cloth moved between us. My heart lurched as I turned the amulet loose. How I would miss its comfort and protection, as well as its beauty. But, most of all, how my heart ached knowing the chances of my ever getting home were slipping away forever.
I sighed. Soon I would have to let go of the shimmering rainbow cloth also. How would I find my way without them?
Tia and I trudged back to the canoe and, in complete silence, Tia paddled me to Melek’s cavern. He stood in the entrance of his cavern and I handed him the rainbow cloth. He took the cloth and, with narrowed eyes, studied me. Then, staring at my chest, asked, “Amulet?”
I glanced up at him, surprised that he had noticed that it was missing. I didn’t want to tell him about my deal with Tia and the paintings, so I turned and started back toward the canoe.
As I walked away, music more lovely than birdsong poured from his cave. “It might actually make him the most beloved god of the world,” I said, shaking my head at the thought.
The music stopped. “Wait!” Melek demanded.
When I turned to him, he said, “Take feather with you.” He stood glowing in the dim light, his stunning, blue fan extended to each wall. I sucked in my breath, struck wordless again by his beauty.
I had forgotten the feather, which Tia still had in the cave. I didn’t know why I needed it or even if Tia would let me have it, but, later, when I told her what Melek said, she just nodded.
When we got back to the cave, she handed me the feather and pointed toward one of the tunnels. She wore the turquoise amulet and they both glowed as she walked away, toward the spirit room. I took in a deep breath of air and exhaled as my shoulders dropped, “She has everything she needs to protect the paintings.”
I looked down at the peacock feather. “What’s this going to do for me?” I wondered. My hand automatically went to the empty space on my chest and I yearned for my lost amulet and the rainbow cloth.
When I reached the meadow, the day gleamed, lush with color. The endless blue sky above me made tears gather in my eyes as I ached for the amulet that no longer rode on my chest.
“Blue is back.” I thought. “The spirit room is safe. Melek can make his music. But, here I am. I still don’t know how to get home.” I waved the feather back toward the cave and yelled, “I’d rather have my amulet!” No one responded.
In the distance a large rock glowed white against a grove of green trees tufted with yellow flowers. Something about it called to me and, by now, I recognized that feeling. I turned toward it and started walking.
As I walked toward the forest, a path began to appear. I remembered Tia and Melek, Turtle Mother and a young jaguar kitten trapped in the body of a monstrous beast. What a strange world, I thought, remembering what Maverna said about nothing being impossible. I turned a corner and the expanse of blue ocean stretched all the way to the edge of the blue sky.
I laughed. “Blue! Glorious blue! Maybe Maverna’s right.” At that moment, nothing seemed impossible.
It didn’t take long for that feeling to fade. I still didn’t know where to go next. I slumped onto the beach, and watched the bubbly fringe of the waves drifting closer and closer to my feet.
Questions flooded my mind as I brushed patterns in the sand with the peacock feather. “Where am I? Which direction should I go? Who is this Ix Chel? Is that who Turtle Mother meant when said “sees right path always’? If so, why doesn’t she tell me what she knows?
“Will I ever get home?”

Chapter 9: Doing the Impossible

Artists: if this story inspires a piece of art, please share it and what it means to you. We'll share it here on the blog. Send to joycewycoff@gmail.com.
Sarana's GiftChapter 9: Doing the Impossible
(Available here until 4/27/2016)

Melek's CaveAt first it seemed like just an ordinary cavern filled with stalagmites and stalactites. However, the incredible sapphire light that shimmered with every breath of the god turned the room into a light show. Overcome with awe at the glowing light and fear at what might happen next, I gingerly sat down next to a small stalagmite. I hoped the Blue Peacock god wouldn’t wake up, at least until I had a plan or an idea.
As I sat there, racking my brain about how to get the feather, my chest tightened until I could hardly breathe. I knew I didn’t dare wake him, however, watching him sleep peacefully, it was hard to remember how evil he was.
Melek dazzled my eyes. His body glowed with a deep, almost cobalt blue and behind him stretched huge wings of iridescent-teal peacock feathers. A small fire in front of him glimmered with turquoise flames that made his body glisten with pale azure highlights. The entire stock of the world’s blue seemed splashed all over this one room.
Without thinking, I took off my opalescent shawl and laid it in front of me, where it picked up glints from the fire and shot rainbows dancing on the ceiling. Fear trembled through my body and I kept hearing Turtle Mother’s words ... “turn ... fear ... around.” What did that mean?
Maverna words also came back to me, “Inside you is a place where nothing is impossible. Find it.” I shook my head, denying those words.
“This is, Maverna. This is completely impossible,” I whispered.
I toyed with the small, white pebbles that surrounded the stalagmite in front of me while I thought about what needed to be done. How could I get one of his feathers without waking him up.? If I do wake him up, he will be angry and destroy the world. If I don’t get the feather, the world burns to a crisp. Either way, the world dies. “You may not want to admit it, Maverna, but, some things are, indeed, impossible.”
To calm my mind, I picked up a tiny stone and tapped it against the glossy, pale column. It sounded a soft, clear note that reminded me of a sleeping baby. I picked up another one and began to rub both against the hollow tube, picking out different tones along its length. Then I ran a pebble down the side and a low, mellow note reverberated through the room.
I tried different pressures against the stalagmite and gentle music began to weave through the cavern. An old knowledge came back into my fingers, back into my mind. The music grew, joining with the wavering blue light and the dancing rainbows and the air began to twirl and sway with the melody.
Tia sat with her eyes closed, rocking back and forth to the tender rhythms, lost in her own world. I swayed, too, as my hands became one with the music coming from this primitive instrument. Everything in the room joined in a gentle whirl of notes and tones.

I didn’t notice when Melek twitched.
The sound he made melded with the music almost like a new voice joining a song. Then he opened his eyes, glanced around, and roared. My hands dropped away from the stalagmite and I froze.
“Who are you?!” Melek demanded, standing up. He towered over us, immense and stunning, the most radiant thing I had ever seen. His peacock feathers fanned out, almost brushing the walls. Blue filled the room.
I ducked my head, unable to look at his incredible brilliance. My throat closed and I couldn’t utter a word.
He stomped toward me. His voice blasted through the quiet, “How dare you? How dare you wear blue? MY BLUE!”
I grabbed the amulet, held it close to my chest and clambered backward as far as I could, looking around for Tia. She crouched, almost invisible behind one of the smallest stalagmites. No help there.
Melek lunged across the room. I felt sure each step would launch the dreaded earthquake that Tia had predicted. He roared with each stride. Then he reached for me, but his hand bounced away. He staggered backward, roared and lunged again. Once more, he slammed up against something unseen and fell back.
I didn’t know what was happening. Obviously something was stopping him and protecting me. The blue god’s face flamed red. Howling in frustration, he tried to punch through the invisible barrier. He made one more running charge to get through, but bounced back again.
There he stood, glaring at me, stunned and furious. I held my breath hoping whatever was keeping him from pummeling me would keep doing its job.
He spun around, looking in all directions. Then he noticed the opalescent cloth and the rainbows shining on the ceiling. He cocked his head and swiveled it back and forth between the rainbows, the cloth and me. The lines in his forehead deepened into a disoriented gaze.
He searched all around the room as if there might be someone else there. Then he demanded, “Where is she? Where’s Ix Chel? I know she’s here somewhere.” He paced back and forth looking in every corner before stomping back toward me.
Even though I had no idea what he was talking about, it was clear that Ix Chel was a person, someone Melek feared. I breathed a little easier when he backed away, still frowning while avoiding the cloth.
Suddenly his expression changed and he barked, “What was that noise?” He glanced over his shoulder again before looking back at me.
Before I could answer, he snapped his head around and demanded, “Make it again!”
My stomach flipped and my hands shook so much that even holding the pebbles was a challenge. However, by now, I realized that my cloth had created some sort of barrier that protected me, so I managed to make a couple of tiny sounds.
Melek glared at me and, still shaking, I began again. Slowly my fingers took over and the music came without thought, creating a melody that soothed my quivering body and seemed to calm the Peacock god.
Melek stopped pacing and listened. I let my hands play freely and harmonies waved through the room and that immense, blue body began to weave side to side with the music. My breath slowed and I wondered how long I could keep playing.
“Stop!” he shouted. I froze again.
“What is that? What is that sound?” he demanded and stepped closer, stopping well before he reached the barrier created by the cloth.
“M-music.” My voice squeaked.
“Do again!”
I started playing once more.
“Stop!” he shouted again. He came over as close as he could to try to see what I was doing. “Show me how.”
My heart drummed as I remembered what I had to ask him. “Please, sir,” I started, not knowing quite how to address a god. “I would be honored to show you how, but,” I hesitated before continuing, “but, could I ask you for a favor first?”
Melek’s head jerked up and his eyes narrowed. “What favor?”
I couldn’t think of any way to ask except to just say it. “Could I have, uh, would you ... would you give me one of your feathers?”
He scowled and bellowed. “What?! Why want feather?”  
He towered over me. My voice shook. “Lord Melek,” I began, trying to be polite and respectful, “the world is suffering. Blue is lost. Without blue, heat is rising and the world is dying. Without blue, people cannot breathe the air or drink the water. Without blue, there is no beauty, no life.”
The Peacock god harrumphed and crossed his arms. He didn’t care.
I quaked at the sight of that hard face surrounded by that colossal, iridescent fan. Shifting forward a bit to gather my courage, I forced myself to continue, “If I could have one of your feathers, we could paint blue back into the world, and ...” I picked up speed, “and I could teach you to play music and you could share that with the people and ... “
An idea struck me, a completely crazy, ridiculous idea. “And, if you could play music, you would become the most beloved god in all the world.”
Melek’s face flashed scarlet and I feared thunderbolts and destruction were coming. He scoffed and blasted air out of his mouth. Then he cocked his head a bit and leaned down toward me. “Most beloved god in all world?”
His voice oozed greasy insincerity and a fierce hunger. “You think world like music?”
Fear quaked through my body, down my arms and into my toes. It was hard to look at him, let alone make up a story I thought he would want to hear. It crossed my mind that lying to a god might not be a good thing. Then I remembered that hot, devastated meadow and the trees. I inhaled as much air as I could and slowly exhaled.
“Oh yes, great Lord Melek” I started. “You will be the most immortal and beloved of all gods. People will make music and sing your praises every day for the rest of time.”
Where was this coming from? I couldn’t believe my own voice and words.
He paused and then said with a vile, crooked grin, “First, give me her cloth.”
I grabbed the rainbow cloth and pulled it close. Her cloth? Does he mean Ix Chel’s? If this is her cloth and my amulet holds the power of Ix Chel, she must be very powerful, maybe even a goddess.
I didn’t want to surrender it. I didn’t trust this jealous god. I had to find a way to keep it. “Oh, please Lord Melek. Ix Chel gave it to me; I think that means she wants me to have it.”
Melek stopped and his eyes riveted on the cloth. “Why you little ... . Why I break you in two.” Anger vibrated in his voice, and, without thinking, he stepped forward until the cloth flung him back again.
He roared, “I need cloth!”
I backed up as far as I could and leaned against a stalagmite to consider my options. If he didn’t give me a feather, we’d never get blue back. Melek wanted to be the most beloved of all gods and he thought the music would help him. Now he also coveted this powerful cloth, presumably Ix Chel’s. But, I wanted it, too, needed it. It protected me and maybe it could even help me find my way home.
While Melek huffed and stomped with his fists clenched, glaring at me, scowling at the cloth, I searched for ideas. His face flushed red and the veins in his neck throbbed. Frustrated by not being able to get what he wanted, he looked like he might explode at any minute.
Suddenly, he stopped and glared down at the cloth again. His eyes narrowed as he stared at me then twisted his neck as he reached back and yanked a luminous feather from his fan and held it in front of me.
“I give you feather.” He held it just out of reach and jiggled it a bit tempting me. He knew he had the upper hand.
“We trade,” he continued, “My feather for music and cloth.” Then he twirled the feather in front of me and sneered, “Or else I make anger in world.” He drew himself up to his full height, towering over me.
Suddenly the room was icy and I shivered thinking about the earthquakes and devastation he might unleash. I didn’t want to give up the cloth, especially to him. It was mine; I had earned it saving the turtle babies.
I stood up and wrapped the cloth around my shoulders. Rainbows danced around the room and confidence flooded through me. “Ix Chel tells me not to trust you.” I was amazed at my own daring, acting as if I actually knew who Ix Chel was.
Melek’s eyes went wide and I could see scarlet anger flush across his face.
I continued before he could blow. “She tells me that I should teach you music and help you become the most beloved god of all time.” I could see him hesitate, listening.
“She tells me that I must keep her cloth to protect me while you learn music and gain the love of your people.” My words sounded strange even to me. I waited while Melek just scowled at me.
Time slowed while I held my breath and my knees began to wobble. Rings of blue from azure to cobalt rippled out from Melek’s body and cold silence filled the room. I waited. Just when I thought I might faint, he spoke.
“Come tomorrow. Teach music,” he said and thrust the feather at me.
Keeping the cloth wrapped around me, I grabbed the feather and went over to Tia who had shrunk to the size of a mouse. I picked her up and ran out of the room, back toward the canoe. Soon, I had to stop and put her down. She was almost back to her full size and squirming and carrying on so much, I couldn’t hold her.
When we reached the canoe, Tia snatched the feather out of my hand as if she herself had pulled it from the peacock god. She stepped into the canoe and the light around her began to shimmer. Her robe changed from dirty brown to emerald green. Teal spirals, and pink and yellow patterns emerged.
She sat like a queen, regal with a peacock feather wand in her grasp. When we landed, she glided from the canoe and ordered, “Come. We paint.”
We trotted through a short tunnel to the outside world of hot reds and oranges and yellows. Tia shielded her eyes while she waved the peacock feather across the meadow. The grass turned green, grass green. She waved it again and the sky became a pale blue streaked with wispy, white clouds. Another pass of the feather and the trees transformed into a dizzying variety of greens. A few sported bright orange-red flowers.
On her last wave, the neon blue butterfly returned with a cloud of other butterflies of all different colors and shades.

FREE on Kindle ... LAST DAY!

FREE - Last Day! Sarana’s Gift, It Changes Everything! is now available on Kindle … and even better, it’s free for 3 days starting Friday, March 11th. Please share with your friends.  Click here to get your free copy.
What if you fell into a place of great beauty, where you were perfectly safe and adored? You could rest, surrounded by everything you needed. You would never have to work or worry again. But, there’s a price. Would you pay it? Find out in this young adult, short fantasy novel. 
One of the stars of this chapter is octopus and this great image comes from http://www.hdwallpapersnew.net/octopus-hd-wallpapers/ 

For more about the symbolism of octopus, click here. Click here to get your copy.












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FREE on Kindle Today!

Cave of the Blue Peacock GodFREE Today! Sarana’s Gift, It Changes Everything! is now available on Kindle … and even better, it’s free for 3 days starting Friday, March 11th. Please tell with your friends.  Click here to get your free copy.
Imagine a world without blue. A mango sky? A muddy brown ocean? Growing hotter by the minute? How did it get lost? What has to be done to bring it back? Find out in this young adult, short fantasy novel. 
Click here to find out more about the symbolism of blue.

Click here to get your copy.














Or click here to get a hard copy.

FREE on Kindle Today!

FREE Today! Sarana’s Gift, It Changes Everything! is now available on Kindle … and even better, it’s free for 3 days starting Friday, March 11th. Please share with your friends.  Click here to get your free copy.
In this young adult, short fantasy novel, sea turtle babies are hatching, scrabbling their way up the sandy banks on their journey to the sea. Suddenly, a monstrous dragon begins snatching up babies and eggs. Without weapons, superpowers, or help from anyone else, how can our heroine possibly help the babies?Click here for more about sea turtle symbolism.


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FREE on Kindle

More information about the meaning of firefly here.FREE Tomorrow! Sarana’s Gift, It Changes Everything! is now available on Kindle … and even better, it’s free for 3 days starting Friday, March 11th. Please tell your friends.  
In this young adult, short fantasy novel, Sarah faces a tough decision and everyone around her has a different opinion about what she should do. She falls into a dark place and doesn’t know how to get out. The only thing that comes to her rescue is a firefly. How can a firefly possibly help?



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Symbolism: Octopus

Photo from: http://www.hdwallpapersnew.net/Susan Bird in her truly incredible blog Way of the Whale beautifully describes Octopus. Here is just a piece of her description:

There are many symbolic, spiritual, and energetic meanings for the Octopus. She is truly one of theintelligent, powerful, versatile, and fascinating animals on the planet.
It is said that Octopus participates in the Universe on multiple levels. Her unlimited supply of remarkable attributes makes it impossible to describe the full spectrum of her symbolic representation. 
From a broad spiritual perspective, octopus is reflective of the mystic center and the unfolding of creation. Her eight arms spiral outward in a metaphoric display of creative expansion. Creation is born from a balance between expansive freedom and working within an established parameter. The magical and mysterious octopus perfectly illustrates this balance.
The number of her arms is significant, as eight represents harmony and balance. In traditional numerology, eight symbolizes abundance, personal power, and authority. It is also the number of Karma, the Universal Law of cause and effect. According to kabbalistic teachings, the number seven symbolizes perfection that is achievable through natural means, while eight represents that which is beyond nature and its inherently limited perfection.
Although vastly mobile and an adept underwater traveler, the octopus is primarily a bottom dweller. In symbolic terms this is analogous of being grounded while still having the ability to exist in the watery world of the psyche. Octopus reminds us that while we may be spiritually and intuitively gifted, we are physical beings and must temper our psychic gifts with strong foundational grounding.
The female octopus can lay as many as 150,000 eggs. Mother octopus awakens us to our creative potential and inspires us to explore the many different ways we can express our creativity.

Symbolism: Blue

The Cave of the Blue Peacock GodFrom: https://www.colormatters.com/the-mean...

Blue is the favorite color of all people. It’s nature’s color for water and sky, but is rarely found in fruits and vegetables. Today, blue is embraced as the color of heaven and authority, denim jeans and corporate logos. It is cold, wet, and slow as compared to red’s warmth, fire, and intensity.

Blue has more complex and contradictory meanings than any other color.  These can be easily explained by pinpointing by the specific shade of blue.

Dark blue: trust, dignity, intelligence, authority
Bright blue: cleanliness, strength, dependability, coolness
(The origin of these meanings arise from the qualities of the ocean and inland waters, most of which are more tangible.)
Light (sky) blue: peace, serenity, ethereal, spiritual, infinity
(The origin of these meanings is the intangible aspects of the sky.)
Most blues convey a sense of trust, loyalty, cleanliness, and understanding. On the other hand, blue evolved as symbol of depression in American culture. “Singing the blues” and feeling blue” are good examples of the complexity of color symbolism and how it has been evolved in different cultures.
   l

Symbolism: Sea Turtle

From: http://www.universeofsymbolism.com/turtle-symbolism.html  The strong and hearty sea turtle takes vast journeys in the sea, letting the tides take her where they will.  She surrenders in infinite trust that all will be OK, and she will arrive when and where opportunity will serve her. This is a beautiful lesson of enjoying the journey of your life trusting in the flow and partaking of the blessings that are bestowed upon the way. In life there is no absolute destination … but a myriad of journeys, this is the symbol of turtle. I like to see the turtle as having the symbol and magic of serendipity… experiencing happy accidents.
From: http://www.spiritanimal.info/turtle-spirit-animal/  The turtle wisdom teaches us to walk our path in peace and stick to it with determination and serenity. Sea turtles move slowly on land, yet are incredibly fast and agile in water. People with turtle energy may be encouraged to take a break in their busy lives and look around or within themselves for more grounded, long-lasting solutions. Traditionally, the turtle is symbolic of the way of peace, whether it’s inviting us to cultivate peace of mind or a peaceful relationship with our environment. What lessons are gained from Turtle Mother and the baby sea turtles?