My Fish Friend & Thoughts On The Present Moment: A Yogi On Vacation

Sparkling blue water and warm breezes; I’m so grateful for that beautiful vacation I had the privilege to go on back in August.

I was in the lagoon right on the resort’s property. The ocean was so warm. Its tiny ripples gently splashed on my stomach.

I wanted a moment of peace and quiet, but Pitbull was blasting from the bar.

Go out further, I thought. The sand was squishy underneath my feet. I ventured out until the water grazed my shoulders.

I could still hear the music but the sound of the waves crashing on the reef in the distance drew my attention.

I wanted to ground myself in the present. I watched to allow the ocean’s healing properties to nourish my body.

I brought my attention to the sound of the water, the feel of my hands floating on the ocean surface, and the different currents gently swaying my body as I stood staring off into the distance.

When I looked down, I saw two little fishies near my ankles. They were the color of the sand.

Nature is a wonderful thing to look at but if it gets too close to me, I usually panic and relocate. Bugs? Nope. Seaweed? No, thank you. Fish trying to bite my feet off? Absolutely not.

But these fish seemed harmless. Surprisingly, I stayed put and observed them.

One fish stayed a bit further back while the other one dared to get closer to me. I would move my feet and they would scurry away but always come back.

I watched as the daring little fish got comfy between my ankles, swam over my feet, and gently nudged the bottom of my legs as his fishy friend stood guard about a foot away.

After a while, the guard fish left and the daring fish kept playing around me. She was a curious little fella.

I would make little movements that made my fishy friend swim around. She would settle in the middle of my ankles over and over and I swear I could hear her giggle (No, I was not drunk). She was precious.

I don’t know how long I was standing in the lagoon with my fish friend but I felt perfectly content.

Fish are fine living in the present moment. They don’t have screens to consume their attention or numb themselves. They’re perfectly content swimming around exploring, I thought.

We live in a world where we’re constantly stimulated and fed content wherever we go. It’s not always easy to simply stop and sit with our own thoughts when we’re used to our thoughts being overridden and our emotions being dismissed.

I wanted time away from all the overconsumption. No music. No chatter. No negative thought spirals. No phone. Just time to float around in nature and listen to the Universe.

I believe the Universe gave me my fishy friend. She was playful and curious and content being where she was without all the added buzz from the outside world.

My little friend and I enjoyed our time in the present.

Speaking of the present moment, I started reading The Power of Now. There’ve been several fascinating points but overall, I’m not resonating.

It seems like this book is going to teach me what I’m already exploring when it comes to the 8 Limbs of Yoga but he’s speaking about it in a generic spiritual sense.

I’ve connected the book to Prathyahara; withdrawing the senses & turning inward, Dharana; mindfulness & concentration, Dhyana; meditation, and Samadhi; bliss, alignment, & harmony.

The book seems like an in-depth explanation of mindfulness and meditation to achieve bliss explained by yet another white man who is declaring his words as the truth. Literally. Page __ says so.

There’s definitely truth to his words and validity to many of the statements I’ve read so far, hence its alignment to yoga, but pause breaks and the way he’s telling me that this is truth rather than his truth that he wants to inspire others with is rubbing me the wrong way.

It’s also possible that his voice isn’t the one I need to hear right now. His content may be impactful but his tone might not be relatable to me. Stay tuned for an update though.

Do you know which book is totally resonating with me though? How to Laugh With Ironic Amnusment During Your Existential Crisis.

It poetically discusses the Universe and our existence while actually acknowledging the messed-up things that are going on in the world. Since I’m reading another book all about the present moment, I found this book’s passage about leaning into our phones fascinating.

It was a bold reminder that we tend to allow our phones to think for us instead of tucking the screens away and adventuring into the tangible world we have right in front of us.

What would have happened if I spent my time on the beach double tapping for hours? I wouldn’t have met my fishy friend! We can scroll for hours at any time, anywhere. But we don’t get any time back. We don’t get missed experiences back.

Always remember to do things that align with your highest self and nourish your soul. Sometimes, a scrolling session is just what you need. Other times, put your phone on silent, be mindful of your screen time, and welcome in the sunshine! Who knows, you might make a little ocean friend, too.

Take some time for yourself today, my love.