Turtles have inhabited the earth for about 220 million years. These unique animals lived on this planet even before the dinosaurs and are considered the oldest symbol in the world. The turtle is the ancient symbol of Mother Earth. The turtle stands for the power of rest and that all in life is giving and taking. I took this photo on a sunny Sunday afternoon when I walked through the botanical garden with my daughter. The turtle stretches her head towards the sun and enjoys the warmth. The closeness to an extraordinary animal and the peace it radiates in this moment had to be captured on a photograph.