A funny thing happened at the tide pools

The rocky shoreline of a volcanic island is a majestic thing, and a haven for lovers of tide pools.  Today I decided to do a little beach combing along the coast here at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium.

 (Wonderful afternoon at NMMBA)

 (Western Coast of the Hengchun Peninsula) 

(Must carefully maneuver to not add more scars to my body)

(What I looked like to the creatures in the tide pools)

As I took each calculated step along the jagged, wave beaten ancient corals, I day-dreamed of writing a light-hearted blog post about the wonder of the shapes nature creates. And I will get to that. But first I must share with you an unreal experience I had. Despite going only going about 100 yards in two hours, I had to take some breaks to rest (see jagged shoreline above). As I sat with my feet in a sun heated pool, watching the critters scurry about, and listening to the ebb and flow of the waves, I became consumed with appreciation for the impact of nature. Now I'm not just talking about a moment of "wow, this is really beautiful," I mean lump in my throat near tears moment of awe. Awe as in the true sense of the word. Stunned.

 (Sun-warmed tide pool)

 (Moment of awe)

 (Fishing on the coast)

(Ebb and flow of the waves)

I watched the water completely fill and empty crevices with every pull and push of a wave. I watched a local carefully navigating the sharp points of the rocks to get the edge of the water to fish. I watched the juvenile fish in the tide pool refugia jump from one pool to the next. As I walked along, I took a moment to study each pool; seemingly the same but amazingly distinct. One thing I was not expecting during my afternoon adventure was the emotion.

(Right where I should be)

For those of you who know me well, I am typically not an emotional person. Very few people see anything except the happy, energetic, outgoing Julia. And even less see any emotion other than happiness and anger. I try to keep a level head in most situations (despite what my mom and Eric might tell you). And there I was, sitting almost in tears, because the water looked pretty. I know it sounds ridiculous. It was ridiculous to me as I sat there, but nonetheless it happened. I guess it means I am happy, or that I love what I do, but it must mean something more than that. Why don't other people feel that way? Does anyone else ever get this way? I challenge you my readers at some point this week, to stop the task at hand, take a deep breath, and look around you in silence. It can be in your own back yard, a walk around your neighborhood, or just looking up at the clouds. But take a moment and appreciate the nature around you. It is a powerful thing, that is so heavily reflected in our everyday lives, but we get so consumed with our immediate goals we forget to appreciate it. Now I am not expecting everyone to have the same crazy experience I had, but maybe it will spark in you some sense of wonder. As for me, I know I will never, ever stop exploring.

Lots of love,
Jules