by Stinky

posted in News

Imagine you’re in a dark place, unfamiliar creatures lurking about. You watch while they drift by not even noticing your presence at all. Although dark, the place is filled with an explosion of dark tones and tints that it almost seems colourful. There’s some splashing and the cacophonous mumble jumble of water flowing and falling. Do you know where we are yet?

It’s ok if you aren’t familiar with the above description. You don’t really find yourself in an aquarium that often… right? So Stinky made his first visit to an aquarium. Most people would go to an aquarium to see aquatic and marine life. But this time around, they were greeted by a smiling cheery pig! Now that has got to be exciting right?

The adventure started off with a bang. When walking in, we were first greeted by a ginormous shark! It wasn’t real, but it almost seemed lifelike – its mouth wide open bearing the full package of razor sharp teeth. If this was an indication of what was to come, then it would surely be an experience Stinky would never forget. As we walked into the aquarium, a colony of emperor penguins said hello. It’s amazing how still they can stand because at times, it almost looked like there weren’t real. A very tame creature that stands tall with dignity. They seem to have a quality that we can all learn from – be proud of what and who you are. That’s something a great many of us can’t seem to get right. There are times where I would wonder if we are as great as we make ourselves out to be. Let’s park this thought for now.

We move along and one thing really stood out to Stinky. He remembers snorkeling in the ocean and thought that he had seen the wonders of the water. He hates to think that what he saw was inferior to everything he saw today. But the thought did cross his mind. And to be honest, we tend to behave like this in all matters as well. We always come across things that are bigger and better in our journey. Sometimes we look back and think that the things we had in our past resemble a drop of water in an ocean. But we also forget that it’s the experiences we have – big or small – that make us who we are. So never discount the once significant things in your life.

As we make our way down some ramps, we begin to see the light of day fade away. The light becomes bluish and the jitterbugs start to take over. We make our way deeper and deeper until we walk right into the middle of a humungous tank. As we pick our jaws up from the floor a manta ray glides above us, while its shadow swallows us for mere seconds. There are fish. There are rays. There are… SHARKS! Oh what a sight they were. Stinky couldn’t believe his eyes. To think that the only thing separating Stinky and the sharks was only a piece of Perspex glass!

So we sat there for quite a long while watching the marine life gracefully swim about in their serenity. It is quite amazing how they all get along and just respect one another’s space. Stinky started to realise that sharks weren’t as aggressive and maniacal as the shows on TV made them out to be. Yes, they do possess and aura of supremacy. But they don’t go around bullying other fish just to show them that they are great. It’s a good reminder to be humble… whoever you are. Whether you are a powerful CEO or the leader of a nation, it’s a stark reminder that being humble is a quality that will earn more respect than if you were to be a power pusher.

We sat, we watched and then an announcement came on advising the aquarium was due to close. We didn’t want to leave such a relaxing and magical place. Eventually, we made our way out. It would be another experience Stinky would never forget. It really is true that life is not measured by the amount of breaths we take, but truly by the moments that take our breath away. Go forth and make these moments for yourself. Trust us, you won’t regret it.

Till next time…