Lessons learned

Saturday I was at my usual summer habitat, the lake. I had been trying without success to relax (nap). I decided to take a walk around the park. I was crossing a bridge that spanned a small inlet when I encountered a young boy. I saw immediately that he was not your typical young boy. He caught my further attention when he stated "look fish" rather enthusiastically. My inquisitive nature made me look to see what he was pointing at. (It's a good thing he did not have a paint brush and a bucket of whitewash)

I shaded the left side of my head from the sun and sure enough there were fish, some big enough for the grill held in place against the slowly moving current by their gently swaying tails. For some reason I could not take my eyes of of these gracefull aquatic creatures. I became transfixed watching them. A strange peace came over me and I became more relaxed than I can remember. I was totally at peace. There we were staring at the fish for what seemed like at least a couple of minutes, when his mother came up. Is he bothering you she said as I looked at my watch and realized that I had been looking at the fish with this little guy for over forty minutes! He has Downe's Syndrome and sometimes he can be a pest, she said. A quizical look crossed her face when I told he wasn't bothering me he was teaching me.

I realized that that time on the bridge was one of the most relaxing forty minutes of my life. The simple act of watching the fish was so mentally soothing that all negative thoughts and concerns had vacated themselves from my head. The simple act of watching the fish gracefully swaying with the current cleansed my mind and left me feeling totally content. Do you think the little guy taught me to meditate?

It just goes to show, some of lifes most pleasant surprises come from unexpected places.