Having placed a greater emphasis on my physical health over the past 18 months, I am beginning to appreciate more and more how magnificent the human body is. Closing my eyes and being enveloped by the sensations that surround me - the warmth of the sunshine streaming through the window and the way it warms my cheek; the crackle of the fire burning in the fireplace; the lingering smell of freshly brewed coffee. How I love to embrace these gentle moments of awareness! When I stretch out my legs, I can feel the strength flowing - from fueling my body with the nutrients it needs and giving my body the exercise it desires. How beautiful the human body is!
Earlier in the year, we adopted 30 gold fish to live and play in our three ponds. With the weather beginning to change and continuing cold temperatures at night, I watched our ponds freeze over. Back in Seattle, I knew that goldfish could survive the winters in semi-shallow ponds... but not here in Colorado. I watched the fish swimming slowly back and forth under the ice, their food supply diminishing. I was impressed with their desire and ability to survive under such extreme conditions. My heart stirred...
Having placed them in these ponds, my heart tugged that it was my responsibility to continue to care for them - when they could not care for themselves any longer. So, off to Walmart I went and purchased a $12.99 10 gallon tank, rocks and a fish net. I was not quite sure how many goldfish had survived the past 6 months, but I was ready to begin fishing for my fish.
Donning rubber gloves, I began to tackle the bottom patio pond. It had an ice covering of about 1 - 2 inches thick. The edges were able to be broken off, and I was then able to get the larger ice pieces up out of the water and, leveraging it on the edge of the pond, flip it onto the ground. It shattered into a thousand pieces, like broken glass.
Running the pump, the water spilled out and the pond began to drain. Capturing one, then two, then three fish... taking them inside and placing them in the tank. The rescue continued, slowly but surely, until every last one was captured.
The large heart shaped yard pond proved a bit more challenging... draining the pond took a lot longer, and the rescue couldn't begin until the water was down enough to walk in the pond itself. It was dusk before the fish were caught... They were bigger, stronger and faster... and had more places to hide! But, persistence paid off and all were safely rescued.
We began counting... 19, 20, 21, 22.... Wait, start again.... How many fish do we have now?
Whereas the life of a fish is greatly dismissed as "insignificant", there was a gentle satisfaction in reaching out and helping these little guys. Just like us, they too are amazing and magnificent creatures - beautifully created, swift, strong and vibrant. I believe they deserve to live, breath and be - just as much as you and I do. To me, that is the beauty of Life itself... the connectedness between every living being.
Phat (noun): great, wonderful, terrific
So I sit here this morning, a smile playing on my lips, as I watch my phat goldfish frolic in their bowl. I am thankful for their little lives and the pleasure they bring me, and I know they are thankful for their new home and the hand that feeds them. One day next spring, I will set them loose again to roam around in a larger pond... but for today, we shall enjoy each other's company - living together in peace, love and H2O harmony.
Lovin' my Phat Fish,
-Cheryl
