On Wednesday afternoon whilst standing on Watego’s Beach, I noticed a stranded jellyfish. I walked over had a chat (yes, to the jellyfish) and then started digging a trench, so that when the waves came in the jelly could wash back out.
After a few moments a boy came and asked what I was doing. I simply replied – “saving the jellyfish”. His response, “better than what we were going to do, we were going to poke it with a stick”.
At this point his three companions came to say “Hi” and see what I was doing. And yes, one was carrying a stick. The water washed in and the jelly moved out a little. I pointed out the breathing rhythm of the jelly, the boys watched without saying anything.
A moment later there were more hands helping me dig the trench. The next wash of water hit, and the jelly turned around. It wasn’t looking promising. One of the boys walked off. A few seconds later he returned with some dried vegetation. He very gently looped it around the body of the jelly and carefully walked him into the sea and released him. We stood and watched for a minute or so.
Before they left, the original boy walked over and we chatted for a few minutes. As he was leaving I asked “so how do you feel having saved a jellyfish?.” His response “much better than poking it with a stick – I feel gratitude”. As he continued walking back to his friends I asked, “what will you do in future?”, his response, “save jellyfish”.
So one: moment, conversation, or chance encounter can change lives. Four boys who wanted to poke a jellyfish with a stick, made the choice to save another living creature and walk away men.
What a blessing.
Deb
