The Sea Creature Who Inspired a "Deeper" Look

                                  (My daughter's message from the seahorse, to me.)

Strolling along the water's edge on Captiva Island, FL, an unusual shape caught my eye.  It wasn't a sea shell, even though the shoreline offers a smorgasbord of these gems.  Nor was it a piece of coral or a clump of wayward seagrass.

Drawing nearer to this unfamiliar object, and finally hovering above it, I realized that I had stumbled upon a Lined Seahorse - also referred to as a Northern or Spotted Seahorse.

There he lay, prehensile tail sporting its "curlycue", as if it were still holding tightly to whatever it had been anchored before it washed onto the sand.  

This discovery was a rarity that I had to share with my family, who had remained back at our beachside "camp", enjoying the sun, sand, and sea from our lounge chairs.

I carefully lifted him in my cupped my hands and filled the recess with the familiar salt water from his home.

Holding out my hands to my family, they gazed, in wonder, at the creature: 

"Is it alive?"

"Where did you find that?"

"What are you going to do with it?"

"Let me see!!"

To which I responded, respectively:

"Yes."

"Washed up on the beach."

"Put him back in the water."

"Get me a bucket!"

Filling the pail with water from the Gulf of Mexico, I gently submerged this horse-like fish while we huddled around, watching it. 

Though I had every intention of returning him to the sea, sadly, this remarkable being "expired" during his last "swim" - inside a child's bucket, which had likely also held the promise of helping to shape magical sandcastles that would eventually disappear with the ebb and flow of the tide.

Hating to see any living thing come to its final rest,  I took him upstairs to my room, where I set him down on a paper towel and marveled at his beauty.

Since that time, I have learned a thing or two about sea horses, and recognized some commonalities between them and us:

Foundation.... A seahorse's prehensile tail allows it to "ground" itself to coral, sponges, or other stationery objects below the water's surface to keep it from roaming aimlessly through its undersea world.  

People, too, need tools to help them keep their bearings at times - whether it is a physical grip holding on to each other, or cerebral strength that allows us to cling to solid foundations which we try to establish in our lives.

Balance....Seahorses like to live in deep water, attaching themselves to seagrass because, although they reside in the ocean, they are very poor swimmers due to the fact that they only have one tiny fin, on their backs. Minute as it might be, its purpose is to help them maintain their balance.  

We have all recognized, at times, that the smallest thing can cause an upset in our own equilibrium and throw us off course.  In kind, it may take something equally as diminutive to help us sustain our stability when the ground beneath us begins to feel unsteady.  

Awareness....Because seahorses have no eyelids, they sleep with their eyes open.  They also have the ability to move their eyes independently of each other. These adaptive measures allow them to watch for predators, even when they are at rest.  

Humans utilize our variety of senses to ensure that we are cognizant of both the blessings as well as potential threats that are present in our differing environments.

Adaptation.....A seahorse can change its color to either camouflage itself to evade predators, or as a means of communication during courtship. 

We, too, can be masters of disguise, depending on our environment or the company we keep.  It is incumbent upon us to know when it is appropriate to use humor, compassion, objectivity, or sensitivity.  That is our means of adapting to various situations so that we blend in and do not stick out like a sore thumb, drawing unwanted attention to ourselves.

A strong foundation, healthy balance, keen awareness, and the ability to adapt are all qualities that are applicable to our ultimate success and contentment on whatever path we travel in our lifetimes.

I am awed that such a small, almost mystical-like sea creature could inspire so much contemplation and highlight significant similarities between its species and my own. 

Perhaps it has something to do with how we view our world and its inhabitants.  Either everything is ordinary and part of the mundane, or we can allow our curiosity and wonderment to lead us to find the magic in all that connects us.

 

© Cre8ive Writes, LLC  2023