A Theory of Relativity

 

Rapunzel – no long locks but relatively beautiful

Just recently, I heard myself say ‘it’s all relative’. In fact it’s not the first time I’ve heard this, having said it many times before when trying to understand something from another point of view.

But let me tell you about this particular time. It concerns a discovery in the pond in my tiny courtyard garden, one I created from a large ceramic pot. I learnt how to waterproof it (after many attempts and the assistance of YouTube) and I installed a solar pump (YouTube again) to aerate the water. Then I stirred and added fish.

Mind you, I always imagined something a little larger – more a fish pond  than a fish pot, but given the size of my garden and  available resources, well … it’s all relative .

Over time, the fish pond has been home to green-tree frog tadpoles, various insects and other creepy critters, gold fish and some species of fish whose names I can’t recall despite paying close attention to the enthusiast who was trying  to educate me. The thing was, I simply wanted fish to live in my pond so my grandchildren could enjoy them. And enjoy them they did, feeding them and giving them weird names like Rapunzel and Dimension Pants. These latter two survive but respectfully I won’t name those who didn’t.

The others died for no reason I can fathom. The grandies handled it with more aplomb than I’d hoped. ‘Oh well’ was the offhand response. Whew! When you think about it, a minor disaster compared to the nightly news … it’s all relative.

Just a few days ago I was excited to see strange new life swimming in the pond. Tiny, tiny creatures which I mistook for minuscule tadpoles at first. Over the days since, they have grown – or my eyes have adjusted – and I can see they are actually little fish.

So, from where have they come? Could the two remaining fish – Rapunzel and Dimension  Pants- have coupled to re-populate my pond? A quick consult with Mr Google suggested they may have developed from eggs in foreign material imported into the environment, like plants. But there hasn’t been any.

I’m not one to look a gift horse, or fish for that matter, in the mouth, however tiny. I’m just pleased to have the newcomers call my pond home. Now I must wait until they grow beyond microscopic so I can photograph the evidence.

Getting back to relativity, the response to their presence was not relative to their size. My grandies were captivated and check them out each time they visit. I admit to doing the same every day, thrilled to see them grow into something one can actually see with the naked eye.

Sometimes the smallest things give pleasure beyond their size. I guess it’s all relative to who’s doing the appreciating.

Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures. (H. Jackson Brown, Jr.)

The fish ‘pot’ and water lily