Waiting and watching. I’ve written about it before. A year ago this month, while snorkeling out over the reef, I spent time with an amazing octopus who didn’t seem to mind my presence as long as I just floated there keeping still. Yesterday, as I was headed back into shore, a green sea turtle swam underneath me and the two of us simply wandered around for ten or fifteen minutes edging ever closer to shallow water and the splashing of swimmers and waders. I’ve been around turtles before, but always out in places where there is less congestion, and I’ve gone looking for them. This is the first time one came looking for me. The point is that if you want to experience the world of fellow creatures in the wild it is a matter of waiting and watching. As I write this morning I’m looking out over the expanse of the Pacific beyond the west end of Maui and east end of Molokai with Alaska somewhere in the far distance. Nothing much out there to see; except now and then a whale breaches, a couple of surfers have come out to try the morning waves, a Mynah bird or two comes near to check me out, butterflies patrol the hedges, a spider is working on a web, a small sailing canoe passed by.
Today is Saturday, the Sabbath by our modern calendar. It’s a good day to wait and watch, and be amazed.